Sr India hockey squad to be picked up today for four natioan tour

Pune Jul 3 : The senior Indian hockey squad for the four-nation European tour will be selected today at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Mahalunge-Balewadi near here.

Sardar Mohammed Aslam Khan, secretary-general of the newly-formed Hockey India, who is also the convenor of the selection committee, said here today that the Indian probables, who have been training at the above mentioned venue from June 15 under Spanish coach Jose Brasa, will be finalised this evening but will be announced in New Delhi.

The team will be touring England, Belgium, Spain and Holland.

Elaborating further, Khan said the Indian team will be playing four test matches in England apart from two tests each at Belgium, Spain and Holland.

”Going by the policy we are going to select some extra players for the sake of exposure before the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held at Delhi,” Khan explained.

The members of the selection committee which also includes former India captain and coach Zafar Iqbal, Olympians Aslam Sher Khan and Dhanraj Pillay, are camping at Balewadi.

Khan also added that some of the junior players, who were a part of the recent World Cup squad will be called to the ongoing camp.

Chief coach Brasa will be shortlisting the junior players as he had watched them during the Junior World Cup held at Singapore/Malaysia recently.

”We are also trying to work out regarding the request from coach Brasa to have a full fledged doctor for the team. As per the request, we are making efforts to negotiate with the Pune-based Army Sports Institute (ASI),” Khan informed.

UNI