Baljit Singh left out of probables list
Hockey India, on Saturday, released the pruned list of 48 probables, or the core group, following three-day selection trials during the camp at the Sports Authority of India Southern Centre here.
The trials were attended by Hockey India selectors Col Balbir Singh, BP Govinda, Thoiba Singh and AB Subbaiah, besides government observer Dilip Tirkey.
This pruning is the first step to prepare for the first Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos (China) from September 3-12. Apart from India, Pakistan, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and China will play.
The ongoing camp will conclude on July 31 and the second camp will be held here from August 8 till the team’s departure to China on August 28 with a team of 18 players.
While there were no real surprises in the shortened list, goalkeeper Baljit Singh, called to the national camp after two years, hit out at national coach Michael Nobbs and Subbaiah after he was dropped from the list.
Baljit, who has been on a comeback trail after his right eye was injured two years ago, criticised them for suggesting that his international career was over, and for hinting that his impaired vision would not enable him to be selected.
“It was known even before the camp that I had a problem with my vision,” said Baljit at a press conference on Saturday. “They should not have called me to the camp to insult me. My performance was on par with the other goalkeepers. I did well in the practice sessions and a couple of coaches and selectors were happy with my performance. But (part-time goalkeeping coach) Subbaiah started asking me to undergo a medical test for my eye.Baljit met Nobbs, who apparently told him to prepare for a ‘farewell’ from his teammates.”
Nobbs said: “I’m very saddened by the turn of events because it is very tough to make it back to a national camp after such an injury.”
“I’m surprised if he thought conducting tests was humiliating. I noticed that he had a problem while saving the ball. That’s when I thought there was a problem. Like any other medical test conducted for players who are not match fit, he went through vision test and unfortunately his vision is low and he wasn’t medically fit to make the cut.”