Bengaluru, May 21 (IANS) The Indian junior women’s hockey team left from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, in the early hours of Wednesday for the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina.

The friendly tournament, part of the team’s preparation for the FIH Hockey Junior Women’s World Cup in December, will feature Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile alongside India, as the teams battle it out for top honours.

Scheduled from May 25 to June 2 (IST), the Four Nations Tournament will see the Indian team play two matches against each of the participating nations. The tournament aims to help the team evaluate their performance, test combinations, and refine strategies ahead of the World Cup.

The Indian squad, coached by Tushar Khandker, will be led by goalkeeper Nidhi as captain, while forward Hina Bano will be her deputy. India will open their campaign against Chile on May 25 followed by a match against Uruguay on May 26. On May 28, India will face hosts Argentina, completing the first round of fixtures.

Speaking before the team’s departure, captain Nidhi said, “The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team is excited about the upcoming Four Nations Tournament in Argentina. We have been working hard in training, and we hope our efforts reflect in the matches. Playing against stronger opponents will only help us improve. We are confident in our abilities and look forward to the upcoming games.”

Speaking about the squad selection, coach Tushar Khandker had said, “We are looking to identify our best players from this squad, especially with the Junior World Cup just six months away. This tour will provide valuable international exposure and experience for the players. In the long term, we are also preparing them for a smooth transition to the senior team. That transition is only possible if they perform well in major tournaments like the World Cup, which makes this tour extremely important.”

–IANS

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