Conspicuous Absence of Forward Preeti Dubey Among 40 National Women Hockey 40 Probables

Team selection in Indian hockey never ceases to set the tongues wagging – the missing name of striker Preeti Dubey from the 40 national women hockey probables for the upcoming Australia Test tour has taken hockey lovers by ‘surprise’ – it is hard to image that this talented Gorakhpur girl, who made a national comeback for the Europe leg of the 2023-24 Pro League after a hiatus of seven years is suddenly ‘not among the top 40 players in the country’.

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The 25-year-old who played for Delhi SG Pipers in the inaugural Hockey India League, forced her way into the national fold after a string of impressive performances in the domestic circuit, gave a good account of herself in the 2023-24 Pro League Europe Leg at London and Antwerp – she played her part in Indian eves winning the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy at Rajgir, scoring three goals. Preeti featured in the 2024-25 Pro League India Leg and was cold-shouldered when the national probables were pruned from 60 to 40.

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Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) chief coach Paramjeet Singh, under whom Preeti has trained for many years, believes his ward has the wherewithal to mount a comeback. “Preeti has to take things in her stride and move on – she has a lot of hockey left in her – if she can manage a national comeback after seven years, she can surely bounce back. She needs to keep performing in the domestic circuit and not being among the 40 probables came as a surprise to me,” says Paramjeet.

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It may be worth recalling that Preeti made her senior international debut at the 2016 South Asian Games at Guwahati, where the Indian eves cornered – she also part of the 2016 Asian Champions winning Indian team – as a 18-year-old she represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics – it was Indian women’s first Olympic appearance in 36 years.