The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Indian Oil is the team to watch

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Friday, Mar 11, 2005

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Indian Oil is the team to watch

NEW DELHI, MARCH 10. Deepak Thakur will be sorely missed, but Indian Oil has gathered all possible resources for the first stage of the National championship beginning here at the National Stadium on Friday.

Slotted in a tough Pool II with Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indian Oil will be hard pressed to make it through to the super league which will be held at Hyderabad from March 25 to 30.

Fourteen associate units of the Indian Hockey Federation starting the first stage, have been divided into four groups, with the pool winners qualifying to the super league. Before that, Hyderabad will host the second stage from March 17 to 24, where state teams will vie for berths in the 16-team super league.

After scoring an emphatic 4-0 win against Indian Airlines in the Maharaja Ranjit Singh tournament last week, Indian Oil has raised the level of expectations.

"We know Thakur would not be in the line-up but the team has learnt to get over such obstacles and score wins," said the Indian Oil coach, Dulare Lal. "Though back-to-back matches on Sunday and Monday will weigh heavily on us, our team is all set to make its presence felt," he added.

Thakur is recuperating from the nose fracture he suffered during the Ranjit Singh tournament. Nonetheless, Thakur is set to join the ranks if Indian Oil makes it to super league.

In Pool IV, Air India is the favourite though Oil and Natural Gas Corporation might give it a run for its money. Air India and ONGC meet on the opening day, rendering the remaining league matches a formality.

The championship opens with the Pool I match between Punjab and Sind Bank and Electricity Board. — Our Sports Reporter

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