Former Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement on Thursday. With this, his 16 years in hockey have been completed.
Rani, who made his debut in the 2008 Olympic qualifiers at the age of 14, scored 205 goals in 254 matches for India. Rani is a resident of Haryana. “It has been an amazing journey. I never thought I would play for India for so long. I have seen a lot of poverty since childhood but my focus was always to represent the country,” Rani told reporters at a press conference.
Rani made her debut for India at the age of just 14.
Led by Rani, the Indian team finished fourth in Tokyo Under Rani's leadership, the Indian women's hockey team achieved a historic fourth place finish at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the team's highest ever Olympic ranking. In addition, she has been instrumental in several major victories, including a silver medal in the 2017 Women's Asian Cup and a silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games.
Rani was honored with many awards Rani was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2016. In 2020, he received India's highest sports honour, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest national honour. Rani was named the best young player of the tournament at the 2010 Women's Hockey World Cup and the player of the tournament at the 2013 Junior World Cup.
Out of the team since the Tokyo Olympics Rani has been out of the team since the Tokyo Olympics. After the Tokyo Olympics, the then coach Suresh Marinette stepped down and was replaced by Yanek Schoepmann. It is believed that the relationship between Yanek and Rani was not good. Meanwhile Rani Rampal was also struggling with injury. For the same reason, despite scoring 18 goals in 6 matches in the National Games held in Gujarat in the year 2022, she did not return to Team India.
Last year, she was made the coach of the junior women's team Rani Rampal was appointed as the coach of the women's team a year ago. Since then it is believed that his return to the team is difficult. In the Women's League of Hockey India, Surma Club has chosen her as a mentor and hockey coach.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
