Times of India: Pune Akash set to make India debut

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Times of India: Pune’s Akash set to make India debut

By Tushar Dutt

PUNE: A day after goalkeeper Akash Chikte found his name in the squad for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, he went to the M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bangalore to watch India play their WT20 group cricket match against Bangladesh.

India’s one-run win taught him enough about perseverance and hard work. “I went to take inspiration from the Indian team’s performance. Having watched them (Indian cricket team) win such a close match will help me calm my nerve when I play ,” Akash told TOI. Akash, 23, has been in the senior hockey team camp since last May and he is yet to play a match for India.

But his dream of earning an India cap isn’t too far as the Pune boy has been included in the team after Hockey India decided to rest their No.1goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

Akash, along with another goalkeeper Harjot Singh, will get alternate games to play in Ipoh. Based on the performances of the goalkeepers, a deputy to Sreejesh may be chosen for the Rio Olympics.

When the Bombay Engineering Group (BEG), Pune, recruit makes his debut for the senior team, it will be a unique distinction of sorts for the player.