Full strength Indian team for this year’s Azlan Shah Cup

Full strength Indian team will take part in the forthcoming 21st Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Tournament to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from 24 May to 03 June 2012.

India has entered the same team that will feature in the Olympic test event, for the 2012 Azlan Shah.

The 18 member Indian team will be led by goalkeeper Bharat Chetri and midfielder Sardar Singh will be his deputy.

According to a HI press release, selectors B. P Govinda and Col.Balbir Singh, along with Government Observer Harbinder Singh witnessed the trials on 8 and 9 April 2012 before ‘finalizing’ the squad.

The tournament will be played on blue artificial pitch with yellow balls on round robin league format, culminating in positional playoffs on the last day.

India will open their campaign against New Zealand on 24 May to be followed with matches against Korea, Great Britain, Malaysia, Argentina and Pakistan in that order.

India has won the title on five times, in 1985, 1991, 1995, 2009 and 2010.

The seven nation tournament will feature Argentina, Great Britain, India, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand and Pakistan. Apart from hosts Malaysia, all other teams shall be playing at the London Olympic Games in July.

The team is as under-

Goalkeepers

1. Bharat Chetri (Captain)

2. Sreejesh PR

Defenders

3. Sandeep Singh

4. VR Raghunath

5. Rupinder Pal Singh

Midfielders

6. Birendra Lakra

7. Sardar Singh (Vice- Captain)

8. Manpreet Singh

9. Gurbaj Singh

10. Kothajit Singh Khadangbam

Forwards

11. SV Sunil

12. Dharamvir Singh

13. Sarvanjit Singh

14. Gurwinder Singh Chandi

15. Shivendra Singh

16. Danish Mujtaba

17. S.K Uthappa

18. Tushar Khandker

Standbys

1. PT Rao (GK)

2. Harbir Singh (Defender)

3. Pardeep Mor (Midfielder)

4. Pradhan Somanna (Forward)