Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out on Indian National Women's Team's 30-man squad

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Paris Olympics 2024: Indian Women’s Football Squad: The Indian Senior Women’s Team’s Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby, has called 30 players for a training camp in Chennai beginning January 23, 2023. The announcement includes a number of nice surprises as well as some stunning omissions. While some veterans returned to the squad, it was surprising to see some of the squad’s most prominent names absent from the preliminary camp. Follow Indian Women’s Football Team updates on Insidesport.IN

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

Olympics Football Qualifiers: Thomas Dennerby announces surprising 30-man squad ahead of games, Indian…

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Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

India, along with Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, has been drawn in Group G of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament 2024 Asian Qualifiers Round 1, which will be contested in a one-round league format in a centralized venue from April 3 to 11, 2023. The competition will start in April 2023. Following the completion of Round 1, Round 2 of the qualifications is scheduled for later in 2023. Both countries, with the exception of India, are making their Olympic debuts in the women’s football event.

The announced squad features a lot of surprises:

Stalwarts Aditi Chauhan, Dalima Chiiber, Ashalata Devi, and Anju Tamang keep their place
Karthika Angamuthu, Jabamani Tudu, and Panthoi Chanu join the squad.
In first of major surprises, Veterans Bala Devi, Sangita Basfore, and Indumathi Kathiresan return to line up
Prominent forward Pyaari Devi Xaxa misses out
Winger Manisha and midfielder Soumya Guguloth are currently training with their clubs in Europe and will join the camp later

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

The announced squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Aditi Chauhan, Sowmiya Narayanasamy, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, Shreya Hooda and Elangbam Panthoi Chanu.
Defenders: Loitongbam Ashalata Devi, Ngangbam Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Sorokhaibam Ranjana Chanu, Kritina Devi Thounaojam, Michel Margaret Castanha, Dalima Chhibber, Manisa Panna, Juli Kishan and Jabamani Tudu.
Midfielders: Priyangka Devi, Anju Tamang, Indumathi Kathiresan, Sangita Basfore, Dangmei Grace, Soumya Guguloth, Asem Roja Devi, Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi, Karthika Angamuthu and Kashmina.
Forwards: Manisha, Renu, Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, Sandhiya Ranganathan and Ngangom Bala Devi.

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

The highlight of the announcement was the return of Bala Devi to the squad. The footballer is keen to be back in the fold for the Indian national team after having her knee operated on and underwent rehabilitation in the country.

#WATCH | International football player Ngangom Bala Devi honored by appointing to the post of #Manipur Police Inspector while goalkeeper of the Indian football team Elangbam Panthoi Chanu was felicitated. @NBirenSingh lauded both the atheletes for bringing glory to the nation. pic.twitter.com/B2pmMvBKjg

— NORTHEAST TODAY (@NortheastToday) January 20, 2023

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

Bala made history in January 2020 when she signed an 18-month contract with current Scottish champions Rangers FC, which was later extended by another six months, as the first Indian woman footballer to sign a professional contract in Europe.Bala elected to stay in Glasgow and train during the lockdown and appeared to be progressing with each of the nine appearances she made for Rangers last season, including two goals, but an injury to her knee slowed her growth in the European league.

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

Due to visa issues and an ACL injury, the star Indian striker had to cut short her Scottish trip last year and return to India. While Bala left Rangers FC in the middle of the season, she was also unable to compete for India in the AFC Asian Cup, which India hosted earlier last year.

The withdrawal of the Indian women’s team from the Asian Cup owing to a COVID outbreak in the squad not only terminated the team’s prospects of qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but it also ended India’s tournament schedule for the year. Bala Devi returns to the squad with renewed optimism and energy, along with veterans Indumathi and Sangita Basfore, as they embark on the adventure once more.

Olympic Football Qualifiers: Veteran Bala Devi returns to squad, Pyari Xaxa misses out, Indian National Women’s Team head coach Thomas Dennerby announces 30-man squad ahead of Paris 2024 qualifiers – Check Out

However, another noticeable feature was Pyari Xaxa’s absence from the squad. Pyari made her international debut with the U-19 National Team during the 2014 AFC U19 competition. In 2015, the teenage forward was named the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year for her performances in the tournament. She was also a member of the team that won gold at the 2016 South Asian Games in Shillong.

Pyari has scored some of the Blue Tigresses’ most critical goals. In the final game of the Women’s Under-23 3-Nations tournament, the Odisha-born forward opened the scoring for the Blue Tigresses against the United States Women’s Under-23 team.While one might wonder why a prolific striker like her has not been called up, it has been confirmed that Pyari has picked up an injury. While nothing serious, a club source confirmed she is recuperating and resting for the upcoming season and will be seen in Blue Jersey soon.

The return of Manisha Kalyan to the squad will add a huge boost to the Blue Tigresses as they look to overturn the woes of the 2022 Asian Cup. A hoard of new players like Karthika Angamuthu, Jabamani Tudu, Panthoi Chanu, and Margaret also add to the depth of the squad.