World Cup team to be picked today

New Delhi, Feb. 5: The national selectors will meet on Saturday to pick a 18-man strong team for the 11th Hockey World Cup that begins here on February 28. The 22-member squad that assembled in the capital on Wednesday, will undergo trials at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium before the final selection is made.

Goalkeepers Adrian D’Souza and P.R. Sreejesh are certainties, with regular custodian Baljit Singh recuperating from a severe eye injury.

Strikers Rajpal Singh, Prabhjot Singh and Shivendra Singh pick themselves on merit, while newcomers Gurvinder Singh Chandi and Sarwanjit Singh have been vital to coaches Jose Brasa and Harendra Singh’s plans in the recent past, making them a possibility.

The 21-year old S.V. Sunil though is all but ruled out with a knee injury.

The midfield is more or less settled with Arjun Halappa, Tushar Khandker, Gurbaj Singh and Vikram Pillay forming the core group. Dhananjay Mahadik lends an extra dimension with his drag-flick skills and is also on the short list. Vikas Sharma and Birender Lakra Sr — with virtually no experience in international hockey — are likely to be left out here.

Sandeep Singh, Sardara Singh and Bharat Chikara are formidable in defence, which makes it a toss-up between defender Diwakar Ram and striker Mandip Antil for the last spot. The duo have been impressive in the last six months and their selection will depend more on the final team composition, than merit.

With the Indian tradition of picking three defenders, seven midfielders and six forwards, the scales tilt in the favour of Antil. Also with Sandeep and Mahadik adept at drag-flicks, the Uttar Pradesh defender’s selection looks remote.

Probables

Goalkeepers: Adrian D’Souza, Sreejesh PR; Defenders: Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram, Sardar Singh, Bharat Chikara; Midfielders: Gurbaj Singh, Vikram Pillay, Dhananjay Mahadhik, Vikas Sharma, Arjun Halappa, Tushar Khandker, Birinder Lakra (Sr.), Danish Mujtaba; Forwards: Shivendra Singh, Rajpal Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, S.V. Sunil, Deepak Thakur, Mandip Antil, Sarvanjit Singh

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