Indian women's hockey defender Sunita Lakra has announced her retirement from the international game due to a prolonged knee injury. 

The 28 year-old has been part of the national team since 2008, winning 139 caps. She featured in the 2016 Rio Olympic squad which was India's first appearance for over three decades.

Lakra said: "Today is a very emotional day for me as I have decided to retire from international hockey. As much as I wish to be part of the Indian team as they prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, my knee injuries have cut short my dream. I have been told by the doctors that I would be requiring another knee surgery in the coming days and I am unsure how long it would take before I fully recover. 

"I had been part of this wonderful journey and through this journey we (the team) have seen many ups and downs but we remained as one unit, giving each other the strength and motivation to remain strong and fight all the odds to excel and bring laurels to the country."

She also captained the national side to a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and was part of the team that won bronze four years earlier in South Korea.

"I have come a long way in the sport and I carry with me some great memories with the Indian team who have stood strong by my side and the girls were always my family away from home," she added. 

Both the men and women national teams have qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.