Indian Junior camp is full swing at Bhopal

Camp for the Johar Barau bound Indian team is on full swing at Bhopal. 28 players, coaches AK Bansal and Devesh Chauhan are sweating it out in two sessions each day starting from 8th of this month.

This is the first camp after the junior team returned from Australia, where it won silver in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival.

According to Banal, focus this time will be penalty corner defence and goalkeeping. “I specially invited Devesh Chauhan for the camp as I feel we have to work more one penalty corner defence and goalkeeping”, Bansal said. Besides regular goalkeppers in the recent past like Mrinal Chaubey, Manish is also in the camp. Manish, now working for the Air Force, could not attend previous camps due to his training with the new employer, Air Force.

The release of pool for the Junior World Cup, has indeed infused a sense of urgency in the team.

“Now that we have received the pool, we really feel we are close to D day. We have to close in al the loopholes. The proposed 4-Nation in Johar Barau (Malaysia) will give another shot at our endevaour to form a crack team”.

“We have now only 3, 4 months away from the Junior World Cup. Going to the same city where Jr. World Cup will be held, will give us additional as well as advance knowledge about the turf and other technical matters”, Bansal said.

India, Malaysia, Pakistan will be joined by an European team for the Johar Barau 4-Nation. It is expected the authorities are in touch with Germany in this respect.

Pakistan has already announced a camp for the same tournament. Johar Barau 4-Nation will be held from 12th March to 15.

The present camp is expected to be of 25-days duration.