Secret ‘Open’ trail underway in Jalandhar
So, ultimately the Hockey India has woken up to the need to have a junior India team. Its so unfortunate and irony too that, despite next Jr World Cup is technically still to be held in India, this country did not have either a development team or a Junior India team. However, some movement has taken place of late, and typically as we do things, very secretly also. The process that has secretly started is called ‘Open Trials’.
An open trail has started on Thursday in Jalandhar. Each unit affiliated to Hockey India has been asked to send four or five players for the trails at the Olympian Surjit Singh Stadium.
Former Olympian Mukesh Kumar is designated as Chief Coach with his peer in the national team and his domestic team Lajrus Barla as assistant. Haryana’s Sandeep Sangwan will also be another assistant coach. He comes to the centre-stage riding on the strength of his state team winning the Bhopal Nationals this year.
Hockey India is good at communication. However, it chose not to disclose the open trail planned to last for four days from Thursday. Probably they are busy elsewhere to douse the fire they set in by giving a pittance to Asian Champions Trophy Winners or juniors is not a big thing.
India is to take part in an Under-21 tournament to be held in Johor Baharu in November. India last played in the Junior tournament was the World Cup in the early 2009. This country did not have singly Junior engagement in the last two years!!