Salima Tete will captain the 20-member Indian women's hockey team at the upcoming Women's Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou, China. Hockey India announced the squad on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The tournament is scheduled from September 5 to 14 and holds significant importance as the winner will secure an automatic berth at the 2026 FIH Women's Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Indian team is in Pool B, alongside Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. India will begin their campaign against Thailand on September 5, followed by matches against Japan on September 6 and Singapore on September 8.
The squad features a mix of experienced players and emerging talent. Former Indian captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia is a notable omission from the squad.
The team's composition is as follows:
Chief Coach Harendra Singh expressed his excitement about the selected squad. He stated that the team has been training with great intensity, and they have tried to strike the right balance between experienced campaigners and young talent. Singh emphasized that the team's focus will be on playing an aggressive and disciplined brand of hockey and that they believe the team has the capability to compete strongly against the best in Asia. He further added that every match will test the team's composure, fitness, and tactical execution and that the players are motivated to rise to the occasion and are confident of delivering performances that make India proud.
India has won the Women's Asia Cup twice, in 2004 and 2017. The Indian team will aim to build on past successes in Asia. They also seek to redeem themselves after a challenging outing in the FIH Pro League 2024-25, where they struggled during the European leg and were relegated to the FIH Nations Cup.
Salima Tete has been an integral part of the team and was appointed captain last year. Experienced players Savita and Sushila Chanu, who were part of the European leg of the FIH Pro League, are not included in this squad. The defense unit will be led by experienced players like Nikki Pradhan and Udita, supported by youngsters Manisha Chauhan, Jyoti, Suman Devi Thoudam, and Ishika Chaudhary. The midfield boasts strong players such as Neha, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Sunelita Toppo, and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke. The forward line includes a blend of seasoned campaigners and rising stars.
