India Junior Women’s hockey team to tour Australia for five-match series ahead of World Cup

New Delhi, Sep 19 (PTI) The Indian junior women’s hockey team is set to tour Australia for a five-match series and coach Tushar Khandker said the trip will help the side identify areas to improve ahead of the FIH World Cup later this year.

India will play the series at the National Hockey Centre in Canberra from September 26 to October 2.

India will take on Australia in the first three matches on September 26, 27, and 29, followed by two games against Canberra Chill – a club competing in Australia’s premier domestic competition, the Hockey One League, on September 30 and October 2.

"We are grateful for this opportunity to tour Australia, which is one of the strongest hockey-playing nations in the world," Khandker said in a release.

"Playing a competitive series against them will give our players valuable exposure, help us identify areas of improvement, and prepare the team for the challenges of the Junior World Cup later this year." The Women’s Junior World Cup will be hosted in Santiago, Chile, in December this year.

"The players have been working hard in the training camp, and this series will be a real test of our preparations so far,” Khandker said.

"Our focus will be on improving match temperament, adapting to different playing conditions, and executing our strategies under pressure. I believe this experience will go a long way in shaping the team’s confidence and readiness for the World Cup," he said. PTI ATK UNG