Not changing captain, players and coach should focus on WC: Hockey India

New Delhi: Hockey India today ruled out changing the captain of the senior national team and advised the players and coaches to keep their focus only on the World Cup starting here this month.

Even though speculation is rife that Rajpal Singh maybe replaced with popular choice Prabhjot Singh as captain of the side, Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra dismissed the suggestion.

He also denied receiving a letter from the team management supporting Prabhjot to lead the team in the February 28-March 13 event.

“We have received no letter from the team, asking us to name Prabhjot as captain in place of Rajpal. But I would like to make it clear that the decision of the selectors to continue with Rajpal as captain is final and binding,” Batra told PTI.

“The selectors are all former players and experienced professionals and they have decided to continue with Rajpal in the World Cup. It was (chief coach Jose) Brasa who named Rajpal as the captain and there were no adverse reports on his captaincy from the team management,” Batra said.