With 3 Olympians in side, confident India eye best-ever finish at FIH Women's Junior World Cup

Salima Tete, will certainly be an advantage for the Indian hockey team when it competes at the FIH Women's Junior World Cup, beginning on Friday. Apart from Tete, midfielder Sharmila Devi and striker Lalremsiami were part of the senior team which finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. The Indian team will begin its campaign in Pool D against Wales on Saturday before taking on formidable Germany on Sunday.

The Indians will then take on Malaysia in the final pool match before the quarterfinal round which starts on April 8. The 20-year-old Salima is a vital cog in the Indian midfield. She has already proved her capabilities in the successful Olympics campaign.

Her swiftness is a treat to watch. She mesmerised with her brilliant runs in the bronze medal match against Great Britain, earning three penalty corners, albeit in a losing cause. Lalremsiami, the first woman Olympian from Mizoram, is a nimble-footed striker, known for quick and poaching movements inside the opposition circle.

The 20-year-old Sharmila, also an energetic forward, has impressed all with her brilliant runs from both the flanks during the Olympics. She also scored a goal in India's pool stage match against Great Britain. The coveted quadrennial tournament, which was originally scheduled for December, was postponed due to the Omicron-threat in South Africa.

"There is a lot of excitement among the players. Everyone has worked so hard for this moment and used the postponement to gain better exposure, improve as a team so we can put up our best performance here," said Tete, who had led the U-18 team to a silver medal at the Youth Olympics in 2018. Highlighting the team's preparations, the Indian skipper said: "Coming here early has helped us tremendously.