Indian hockey players want Rajpal Singh out
Pune: Just 20 days left for the World Cup and Indian hockey seems to be heading towards one more crisis.
The players are up in arms again, this time over captaincy. They have now written to Hockey India demanding a change in captain for the World Cup. On Saturday, HI named Rajpal Singh as the captain.
As has been reported, the players and even coach Jose Brasa are not happy with the selection committee’s decision. “The players prefer Prabhjot Singh to Rajpal,” said sources close to the team and revealed that the players met on Monday to discuss the issue. They are believed to have unanimously agreed to Prabhjot’s name for the captaincy. “A meeting was held and it was decided that an appeal should be made to Hockey India to change the captain immediately,” the source added.
It is learnt that the players are hopeful that their request will be considered. “There is no tension in the team, as we are hopeful that HI will consider the request and within a day or two, the captain will be changed,” one player said.
When contacted, Brasa refused to comment saying he is not allowed to speak to the media. “I am asked not to speak to the media till February 1 and hence, I cannot comment on the issue,” the coach said.
DNA was first to report that Rajpal is out of players’ favour. Rajpal lost the players trust during last month’s strike over payment-related issue. Rajpal had led a six-member delegation that met HI officials in New Delhi on January 9. It is believed that Rajpal was not able put across the players view point to the HI.
Team insiders say Rajpal got “easily convinced” by the HI officials in Delhi and had agreed to resume practice without getting concrete assurances. After the January 9 meeting, the players nominated Prabhjot Singh as their leader.
HI forms panel for gradation
With the World Cup just round the corner, Hockey India formed a five-member committee on Monday, to look into the gradation system which was one of the key demands of the players during their rebellion last month. Former India player and now Hockey India Director (Planning) Jagbir Singh has been named convener of the committee which will have ex-captain Ajit Pal Singh, Zafar Iqbal, MP Ganesh and Dhanraj Pillay as members, a HI statement said. The statement said the captains and coaches of both the men’s and women’s teams would also be the members of the committee, while the president and secretary general of HI will be special invitees in the panel.