Sandeep, Prabhjot, Deepak dropped from Azlan squad

Drag-Flicker Sandeep Singh and strikers Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur have been dropped from the 18-member Indian squad for the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia as selectors chose to infuse new blood into the side after their poor performance in the World Cup in New Delhi last month.

Also missing from the squad, to be captained by Rajpal Singh, is another drag-flick specialist, Diwakar Ram. Goalkeeper Adrian D’ Souza and striker Gurvinder Singh Chandi also failed to find places. The players were selected after a two-day trial at Balewadi, Pune, which ended on Friday.

The selection trials were attended by Hockey India selectors BP Govinda, Balbir Singh, Madhu Yadav and Sita Mehta and government observers Ajitpal Singh and Zafar Iqbal.

“The selectors and coaches unanimously decided to give a chance to some new, promising players in this tournament,” a Hockey India release said. “It has also been decided to put a core management team for all overseas series and tournaments as well as domestic matches. This committee shall comprise coaches, captain and team manager who will decide on the playing composition of the squad before every match,” it added.

India are four-time champions in this tournament, having won the title in 1985, 1991, 1995 and 2009. The team will start their campaign this year against China on May 6, a day before they take on Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the disbanded Indian Hockey Federation will hold its Annual General Body meeting in New Delhi on Sunday with its chief KPS Gill saying that he had not given up. “I tried to help the cause of hockey and extended my support to them (Hockey India) but they construed it as my weakness… I promise to fight them out,” he said.

Squad

Sreejesh PR, Bharat Chetri; Sardar Singh, Dhananjay Mahadik, Amit Prabhakar, Rupinder Pal Singh; Gurbaj Singh, Ravi Pal Singh, Prabodh Tirkey, Bharat Chikara, Vikas Pillay, Danish Mujtaba; Rajpal Singh (captain), Tushar Khandker, Shivendra Singh, Mandip Antil, Arjun Halappa, Sarvanjit Singh