Salima Tete to Lead Indian Women’s Hockey Team in Bhopal as Defending Champions Target Fourth Asian Champions Trophy Title

Indian women’s hockey will return to international action following its historic Asian Games gold medal triumph in Japan, with captain Salima Tete set to lead the side at the Madhya Pradesh Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026. 

Hockey India announced a 20-member squad on Tuesday, November 10, for the tournament, which will be held from November 19 to 28 at the newly built International Sports Complex in Nathu Barkheda, Bhopal.

The Indian team will enter the competition as defending champions and will look to secure its fourth Asian Champions Trophy title. Having previously won the tournament in 2016, 2023 and 2024, India will aim to maintain its position among Asia’s leading women’s hockey teams and carry forward the momentum from its recent continental success.

For the team, the tournament also represents an opportunity to perform in front of home supporters for the first time since the Asian Games triumph.

Midfielder Salima Tete will continue to lead the Indian team, which features a blend of established international players and younger members across all four departments. The goalkeeping responsibilities will be shared by Bansari Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defensive unit includes experienced campaigners Nikki Pradhan, Jyoti, Jyoti Singh, Sushila Chanu, Lalthantluangi and Pooja Sahoo.

The midfield features Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete, Neha, Sakshi Rana, Baljeet Kaur and Ishika. The forward line comprises Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Beauty Dungdung, Lalremsiami and Mumtaz Khan.

Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the tournament would also be used to assess players in different positions, giving members of the squad an opportunity to demonstrate their versatility. “This is the moment I want to give other players the chance to showcase their talent on the international stage. Some players will be playing in different positions than they normally do, so that I can see how they perform in a different role,” Marijne said.

He added that the team was looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd and finishing the year strongly.

The 2026 edition will feature six teams: India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea. The competition will follow a round-robin format, with every team playing the other five once. The top four sides at the end of the league stage will progress to the semi-finals.

India and South Korea enter the tournament with three titles each, making them the joint most successful teams in the competition's history. India will therefore have an opportunity to establish itself as the outright leader by winning a fourth crown on home soil.

China, meanwhile, will provide a significant challenge as Asia's top-ranked team. Japan and South Korea will also be among the teams looking to compete for a place in the knockout stages, while Malaysia and Thailand complete the six-team lineup.

India's road to the semi-finals

The tournament begins on November 19, with China taking on Thailand in the opening match. India will then begin its campaign against Malaysia following the opening ceremony.

The Indian team's remaining league fixtures are scheduled as follows:

• November 19: India vs Malaysia

• November 21: India vs South Korea

• November 22: India vs Thailand

• November 24: India vs China

• November 25: India vs Japan

The semi-finals will take place on November 27, followed by the medal matches on November 28.

The schedule will test India's consistency across five matches in the league stage, with the fixtures against South Korea, China and Japan likely to provide important assessments of the defending champions' form against strong continental opponents.

Hockey India president Dr Dilip Tirkey described the tournament as an important opportunity to build on the team's Asian Games achievement. He highlighted the motivation of playing in front of home supporters and expressed confidence that the players would deliver a strong performance.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh also welcomed Madhya Pradesh's hosting of the competition, noting that the tournament would bring some of Asia's leading women's hockey teams together. He emphasised that the Indian side would be determined to defend its title after an outstanding year highlighted by the Asian Games gold medal.

With a fourth title within reach, India will have both history and home support on its side. The Bhopal tournament offers the defending champions an opportunity to reinforce their continental standing while giving the coaching staff a chance to assess squad depth and positional flexibility.

For Salima Tete and her teammates, the immediate objective will be to translate their Asian Games confidence into another successful campaign and ensure that India's winning momentum continues through the final international assignment of the year.