K ARUMUGAM
Rising goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, veterans former captains Amit Rohidas and Manpreet Singh will be playing their third Asia Cup at Rajgir, India, next week. Of the three, Amit and Manpreet were not part of the last Asia Cup, as India chose to send second string with recalled Birendra Lakra as captain.
Hockey India announced the team for the Rajgir razzmatazz the other day. The 18 member team, which also has two alternate players, includes the abovementioned trio.
Amit Rohidas
Amit Played his first Asia Cup way back in 2013 before winning the gold at Dhaka in 2022. With a gold dangling on his shoulders, the multitasker is expected to play a key role at Rajgir.
Manpreet Singh also made in Asia Cup debut in 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, and led India to gold at the 2017 Dhaka edition.
Both missed the 2022 Asia Cup in Jakarta, as the Hockey India decided to send a second string team with recalling of Birendra Lakra, SV Sunil among others. PR Sreejesh, who missed the 2017 number also had to sit at home for the next Asia Cups. He will always rue missing Asia Cup gold in his over-crowded showcase.
Suraj Karkera was thankfully lucky goalie. He and Akash Chikte, both from Maharashtra, managed the bar at the 2017 KL Asia Cup. Suraj went on to play the next 2022 number at Jakarta, thus becoming the lone Indian goalkeeper to figure in THIRD Asia Cup, an epithet that missed even legend PR Sreejesh, Adrian D’Souza, even Ashish Ballal & AB Subbaiah,
So far, only five players have got the opportunity to be part of Asia Cup teams for THRICE. They are Dhanraj Pillay, Baljeet Singh Dhillon, BImal Lakra, Prabhjot Singh and VR Raghunath.
Now the trio joins the elite band
Suraj Karkera
30-year old Suraj Karkera got his Indian jersey being part of the Indian junior team for the six-nation Volvo International Tournament in The Netherlands in 2017, subsequently selected for first of his three Asia Cups.
Photos: Courtesy Hockey India