New Delhi (PTI): Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh made a comeback in the 18-member Indian team announced on Friday for the Azlan Shah Hockey tournament in Malaysia with junior players making up half the squad.

Eight players, who are in Australia for the second leg of the Four Nation tournament, were included for the May 8-18 event in Ipoh while the remaining are youngsters.

Rajpal Singh and Prabhjot Singh were left out just as Ignace Tirkey, V S Vinaya and Birendra Lakra will return home from Australia.

Penalty corner specialist V.R. Raghunath will also miss the tournament and he will be replaced by young Diwakar Ram.

The new selection committee did a balancing act by naming Joaquim Carvalho as observer while giving the reigns of the team to junior team coach A K Bansal.

India team Technical Director Ric Charlesworth will accompany the team as adviser.

The Team: Baljeet Singh, P.R. Sreejesh, Diwakar Ram, Sandeep Singh, Innocent Kullu, Sameer Baxla, Sarvanjit Singh, Ranjeet Singh, Bikram Kanth, Sardara Singh, AB Cheeyana, Vivek, S.V. Sunil, Gurvinder Singh, Tushar Khandekar, Shivender Singh, Mandeep Antil, Gurbaj Singh.

Officials: A.K. Bansal (chief coach), Ric Charlseworth (Adviser), R.K. Shetty (Manager), Joaquiam Carvalho (Observer), Rajesh Chauhan (Coach), Ramesh Parameshwaran (Asst. Coach), Shrikant Iyenger (Physio), M. V. Mathai (Trainer).