The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : IHF probables for Azlan Shah

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Friday, Apr 29, 2005

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IHF probables for Azlan Shah

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Thursday released a list of 35 probables for the camp here in preparation for the Azlan Shah tournament to be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to June 5.

The camp was to have started on Wednesday, but only three players had reached Delhi. The strength had gone up to 22 by Thursday afternoon. Training sessions are expected to pick up momentum by Friday by which time the rest of the players are also expected to join. The list of players was finalised at the end of the National championship in Hyderabad on March 31, but the IHF chose to make it public only on Thursday.

Late inclusion

Thirty-four players were originally selected while Tamil Nadu goalkeeper Aravind was a late addition on the strength of his performance in the just-concluded Murugappa Cup tournament in Chennai. Not surprisingly, the list does not include Dhanraj Pillay or Baljit Singh Dhillon not to speak of the suspended Gagan Ajit Singh of Punjab Police.

Pillay had declared himself unavailable to play under the `existing IHF regime' immediately after the Athens Olympics while Baljit Dhillon, considered `over the hill', was excluded along with Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh and Gagan Ajit for the Champions Trophy in Lahore last year. Thakur made a comeback during the French team's tour last December while Prabhjot, who was apparently excluded earlier as a disciplinary measure for his outbursts during the Olympics, has now returned.

Also making a comeback after a long gap is Indian Airlines forward Sameer Dad. He was a notable success in the Premier Hockey League in Hyderabad.

Gagan Ajit is under suspension for his assault on Indian Oil player Bikramjeet Singh during the last National championship. He will be eligible only in July.

There could be a question mark over the fitness of Dilip Tirkey, India's mainstay in the defence. The Indian Airlines player was not among those who had reported by Thursday evening.

The probables: Devesh Chauhan, Bharath Chhetri, Aravind, Mahinder Singh, Paramjit Singh, Dilip Tirkey, Harpal Singh, Len Aiyappa, Muthuselvan, C.S. Xalxo, Vikram Pillay, Ignace Tirkey, Viren Rasquinha, Thomson Ekka, Avtar Singh, Muthu Kumar, Devender Pal Singh, Bimal Lakra, Jasvinder, Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh, Arjun Halappa, Sandeep Michael, Inderjeet Chadda, Girish Pimpale, Elezer Lakra, Gurjeet Singh, Rajpal Singh, Ravinder Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Sameer Dad, Didar Singh, Shailender Singh, Suresh Kumar and Prabhakar Singh.

Officials: Rajinder Singh (Jr.) — Chief Coach; Narinder Pal Singh — coach; Romeo James — goalkeeping coach; Sampath Kumar — trainer.

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