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Jyoti Chouhan, the Dinamo Zagreb attacking sensation, is on course to win her first international cap as she was named in the Blue Tigresses squad for the Asian Games 2023, as TOI reported.
The 22-member squad is a good mix of experienced players and young talent, as India (WR 61) face a daunting task, having drawn Thailand (WR 46) and Chinese Taipei (WR 38) in the group stage.
Unlike the men's event, which is a U-23 affair (with three senior players allowed), nations are allowed to send their senior squad for the women's event.
The full squad is as follows:
Bala Devi, Astam Oraon, Jyoti, Manisha, Renu, Ritu Rani, Sanju, Sangita Basfore, Elangbam Chanu, Dalima Chhibber, Grace Dangmei, Soumya Guguloth, Shreya Hooda, Indumathi Kathiresan, Ashalata Devi, Priyangka Devi, N Sowmiya, Sweety Devi, R Sandhiya, Ranjana Chanu, Anju Tamang, Pyari Xaxa.
38 players had been previously named as probables for the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 and participated in the national team camp in Bhubaneshwar from July 30 under Head Coach Thomas Dennerby.
Jyoti Chouhan set to make potential National Team debut
While big names like Bala Devi and Dangmei Grace will be expected to lead the Tigresses, many eyes will be on Jyoti Chouhan, who has been smashing records with Dinamo Zagreb in the previous season. Signing for the Croatian club before the 2022/23 season with her compatriot Soumya Guguloth, Jyoti has gone from strength to strength.
She became the first Indian player to score a hat trick in Europe and finished the season as the top scorer of her club. She recently signed a contract extension with Dinamo which will see her don the prestigious blue for another season.
It will be intriguing to see how she combines with Bala and Co. The Asian Games is a particularly crucial tournament for the Blue Tigresses after their AFC Asian Cup campaign ended in disaster as hosts in 2022. They will be itching to test themselves against Asia's elite, with the historic FIFA Women's World Cup ending only a few days ago.
Topping the group will ensure that they move into the quarter-finals. With five groups in the event, the three best second-placed sides will also qualify to finish off the last eight nations.
Having played only twice in the tournament in the past and finishing eighth (at Bangkok 1998) and ninth (at Incheon 2014), the Blue Tigresses will be aiming to at least make it to the knockout stages this time onwards.
