Midfielder Gurbaj Singh will lead an 18-member Indian team tasked to defend the Junior Asia Cup they won four years ago at Karachi.
The sixth edition of the Asia’s premier junior event will be held at hyderabad’s Gachibowli stadium from 11th onwards.
Three players from Delhi based Punjab National Bank – Pramod Kumar, Ranjit Singh and Vikas Sharma – are in the team expected to finish at top.
The ad-hoc committee looking into the affairs of Indian hockey, after two days trials, in which all the newly formed selectors were present, announced the team today evening.
Jalandhar lad Gurbaj Singh, who was part of the silver winning Azlan Shah Cup has been made the leader, a first for the talented midfielder.
SV Sunil, who shone prominently as an effective all rounder at Ipoh — where Bansal’s boys surprised everyone before entering the finals of the Azlan Shah Cup a month ago — is among the list.
The surprise omission is Sameer Baxla, who was part of the previous two under 21 assignments in Kuala Laumpur and Monchengladbach. It is understood that he ran out of form and could not gain the confidence of the coach and selectors.
The ad hoc committee also announced five standbye players.
India opens the campaign on 11th against Singapore.
The complete list
PR Sreejesh (Indian Overseas Bank),
Mrinal Chaubey (Sports Authority of India),
Diwakar Ram (Indian Oil Corporation),
Innocent Kullu (Railways),
Manjit Kullu (Railways),
Gurbaj Singh (Air India)
Amardeep Ekka (Orissa),
Vikas Sharma (Punjab National Bank),
B. Horo,
Ranjeet Singh (Punjab National Bank),
Vivek (Railways),
SV Sunil (Services),
Mandeep Antil (Air India),
Jagwant Singh (ONGC),
Danish Mujtaba (Air India Academy),
Gurwinder Chandi (Punjab and Sind Bank),
Roshan Minz (Indian Oil Corporation),
Pramod Kumar (Punjab National Bank).
Standbyes
Harjit Singh, Sameer Baxla, Birender Lakra (SAIL), Dharamveer Singh, Jujhar Singh.
Staff:
Chief Coach AK Bansal, Coach: Rajesh Chauhan, Trainer: Dr. Pradeep Dutta, Physio: Srikant Iyenkar.
Not much surprisingly manager is yet to be announced.
3 Comments
the should win the cup. our wishes are with them
Last 2 editions of Jr.Asia cup I was there with the team. I know how much it matters to win the cup. Especially the 2004 batch did really sweat out to win in Pakistan the coveted cup first time in the history. I am sure that the present team will do well to reatin the cup. Best Wishes to the team and the management.
dear saju, i know you. are you with the team now also.