Germany's junior hockey team coach Valentin Altenburg believes hosts India will be one of the contenders to win the FIH Junior World Cup, which will begin in Lucknow, on December 8.
Sonam's breakout performance in the inaugural Women's HIL season has earned her a spot among reserves in the national camp for the Bhubaneswar leg of the Women's Pro League beginning on February 15.
The team's fourth-place finish in the FIH Qualifiers dashed their hopes of Olympic qualification.
India named South Africa's Craig Fulton as the new chief coach of the men's hockey team, who finished a disappointing ninth in the World Cup at home.
Three first half goals gave India their second victory in the Junior Challenger Open hockey tournament.
Brushing aside the disappointing show against Argentina in the tournament opener, hosts India produced a much-improved performance as they held Olympic champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in their second Pool B match of the Hockey World League (HWL) Final.
In the ongoing FIH Pro Hockey League, India climbed to the top of the table with a win over world champions Germany in Rourkela on Monday.
India's men's hockey team was handed a tough group for the Rio Olympic Games as it has been pooled with defending champions Germany, European Champions Netherlands and Pan-American Games champions Argentina in the six-team Pool B.
Harmanpreet was left speechless with the reception given to the players, saying the team gets the same affection every time it comes to Odisha.
Defending champions Germany saw off a late challenge from New Zealand to score a thumping 5-2 victory and booked a semifinal berth in the Hero Honda Hockey World Cup in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Asian champions India are placed in Pool C alongside Canada, South Korea and Spain. They start their tournament campaign against Korea on December 5.
In Thursday's semi-finals, world number one Australia clash with fourth-ranked Spain, while third-placed Netherlands take on number two Germany.
Mandeep Singh scored a brilliant hat-trick as India pulled off a sensational come-from-behind 5-4 victory over Olympic champions Germany in a fiercely-contested 5th to 8th places classification match in the Hero Hockey World League Finals in Delhi on Friday.
Hosts India drawn with England, Spain and Wales in Pool D of FIH World Cup
Defending champions Netherlands will face Germany, while Britain take on New Zealand in the women's hockey semi-finals of the Rio Olympics on Wednesday.
Besides two goalkeepers, the Asian Games-bound team will have six defenders, five midfielders and as many forwards.
India's hopes of redeeming some pride in the junior men's hockey World Cup remained only a dream as they lost 1-3 to Spain in the bronze medal playoff in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
India will battle it out against the likes of South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan and China in the Asian Champions Trophy.
The Indian men's hockey team climbed two places in the latest FIH rankings following back-to-back wins in the Pro League matches.
Udita attracts highest bid in first half of HIL women's auction
World Cup bronze medallists Argentina stunned Olympic champions Germany 3-0 in their concluding Pool B match to end their league engagements in the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar, on a high note.
Trailing by two goals, Spain pressed on the accelerator, earning a couple of penalty corners in the final quarter but the Indian defence stood tall in the absence of skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who was rested for the game.
Former captain Zafar Iqbal believes it won't be easy for India to reclaim the hockey World Cup title after a hiatus of 47 years as the hosts are placed in a tough pool alongside Spain, England and Wales.
Germany were held to frustrating goalless draw by the Netherlands in the Hockey World League (HWL) Final in Raipur on Friday.
World and Olympic champions Germany produced an outstanding first half performance to shock defending champions and unbeaten Australia 3-1 in the fourth round of matches in the Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament in Melbourne on Thursday. In other matches of the day's programme, Korea and Spain played out a thrilling 5-5 draw, while The Netherlands defeated England 3-2.
Germany outclassed last edition silver medallist Netherlands
Indian junior women's hockey team goes down against Germany
Following is India's schedule on Tuesday, Day 11 of the Paris Olympics: (All timings in IST):
Titleholders Germany beat world champions Australia 4-2 on Thursday to reach the men's Olympic hockey final with both teams giving their all in a high quality semi-final.
Germany defeated Malaysia 3-2 to take an unassailable lead atop the table with 16 points while European champions the Netherlands' hopes of retaining the title appear bleak after a thrilling 3-3 draw Australia.
Sreejesh, 36, stood rock solid in India's campaign at the Olympics and played a key role in their hard-fought 2-1 victory against Spain in the bronze-medal match.
India will open their campaign against Canada in the FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup
India were 3-0 up in the 42nd minute before Paul-Philipp Kaufmann and Michel Struthoff struck for Germany in the 44th and 57th minutes respectively.
Six-time champions and title holders Germany continued their fine form and defeated New Zealand 2-1 in a closely-fought Pool C encounter to virtually seal their place in the quarter-final of the men's Junior Hockey World Cup, in Lucknow on Friday.
Reid submitted his resignation to Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, a day after the conclusion of the World Cup in Bhubaneswar
Toppo is a product of the Sports Hostel, Panposh, Rourkela. She first represented her state team in 2007 and her performances in domestic competitions saw her getting selected for U-18 Girls Asia Cup in Bangkok, Thailand in 2011 where India won a bronze medal. She was first selected to represent the senior national team in 2012 in the FIH Champions Challenge I in Dublin.
The triumph also took Germany to the top of FIH world rankings from the pre-tournament fourth place.
India produced a lacklustre display and crashed out of the title race in the 22nd Lal Bahadur Shastri under-21 women's hockey tournament after losing 1-2 to Germany in Delhi on Friday. Germany plays New Zealand in the title round on Saturday. The Kiwis beat Australia 3-1 in another league match.
Legendary Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has laid out a clear challenge for the national men's team as they set their sights on a Paris Olympics medal
