Players back in camp

The five players who had walked out of the National probables camp last week resumed their training session here at the Sports Authority of India Southern Centre campus on Wednesday.

The five players — Arjun Halappa, Prabhjot Singh, Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh and Adrian D’Souza — were given provisional permission by Hockey India to resume training and they hit the straps along with the rest of the probables.

Indian team’s newly-appointed exercise physiologist David John spearheaded a stretching session at the gym in the morning, with the focus on boosting strength around the waist.
The entire batch of 45 probables — who are generally split into two batches — spent close to two hours in the gym before breaking off for lunch and resuming their practice in evening on the pitch.

The five players, however, have to reply to a show cause notice issued by Hockey India by August 2. A decision on their participation for the second phase of the camp that begins on August 8 will be taken later. The first phase concludes on July 30.

Meanwhile, IHF president RK Shetty hoped that Hockey India will not penalise the five senior players for attending a promotional event of World Series Hockey as HI had agreed not to punish them.