New Delhi: Hockey India has roped in India's finest strikers, Rani Rampal, and midfielder Sardar Singh, to groom the next generation of hockey players at the sub-junior girls' and boys' national camps in Bhopal.
Rani is focusing on developing the skills and game awareness of young talents like 15-year-old Nausheen Naz, who scored nine goals at the Hockey India sub-junior nationals.
The Indian men's team has revived its hockey legacy, winning back-to-back Olympic medals, while the women's team, under Rani, delivered a stirring performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
Hockey India is focusing on a grassroots programme to bridge the gap from sub-junior to senior level, with 42 players each in the boys' and girls' sub-junior camps preparing for the U-18 Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan.
Former captain Sardar agrees transition has been an issue, but says it is improving, with a core group of 30-40 players and good talent being developed through junior and sub-junior programmes.
Rani and Sardar stress that modern hockey demands all-round ability, with the first line of defence being the strikers and the whole team executing the plans.
