Hockey squad for Asian Champions Trophy to be picked on Friday
BANGALORE: Hockey selection trials have been scheduled this weekend to pick the national squad for the Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos, China.
The selectors are expected at the Sports Authority of India, South Centre on August 12 and will watch the probables in action over two days, Hockey India’s coaching committee chief SS Grewal said on the opening day of the camp.
The tournament begins on September 3 but the team is likely to leave the Indian shores on August 28. With at least 10 days required to process the Chinese visa, the names will have to be sent to the embassy by August 17, Grewal said.
While 18 players will make up the squad, the number of standbys will be decided in consultation with chief coach Michael Nobbs.
The trials will also help in deciding on the core group of around 24 players, which Nobbs has been advocating ever since he took over the reins. The Australian, who completed his paperwork in New Delhi on Monday, is expected to arrive soon.
Grewal said the trials would have to be held at the Madras Engineer Group turf as the below-par SAI surface did not encourage ‘an all-out game.
“If you ask me, the trial sessions will have to be at MEG,” he said. “I will make this recommendation. In any case, we are planning to visit MEG frequently.”
Incidentally, four of the five rebel players in Adrian D’Souza, Arjun Halappa, Sandeep Singh and Sardar Singh figured in the first-day’s sessions.