Brasa wanted Prabhjot as skipper, overruled by panel: Sources

NEW DELHI: The appointment of India’s hockey captain for this month’s World Cup was marred by controversy as chief coach Jose Brasa wanted Prabhjot Singh as skipper but was overruled by the selection panel, according to sources.

Team sources said Brasa wanted Prabhjot as captain instead of Rajpal Singh, besides four vice-captains in the squad, but apparently he was overruled by the selection panel.

Besides Brasa, the selection panel comprises BP Govinda, Madhu Yadav, Sita Mehta (all selectors), Ajit Pal Singh and Zafar Iqbal (government nominees) and national coach Harinder Singh.

A player in the squad on the condition of anonymity said that just before the selection meeting Brasa had told some senior players that Prabhjot would be the skipper and four vice-captains would also be named.

The selectors, however, retained Rajpal Singh as skipper in the 18-member squad for the high profile February 28-March 13 event. There was no vice-captain at all in the list of 18 players who figured in the release issued by Hockey India.

“Just before the selection meeting today, Brasa had come to talk to some senior players including me and he told us that Prabhjot would be the captain and there would be four vice-captains,” the player said.

“After that I don’t know what happened. I can’t talk about the selection matters but Brasa had told us Prabhjot will be the skipper,” he added.