Poor performance costs regulars their place

IHF, president, KPS Gill said that some of the omissions had to be made after poor performances in the recently concluded Champions League in Chennai and the Rabobank Mini World Cup which was held in Amsetelveen last year. 8220;Few were also left out because of the declining fitness levels,8221; Gill added. He further added that the ones who are dropped, which include experienced players like Prabhjot Singh, Deepak Thakur and Viren Rasquinha, will be attending a separate conditioning camp and will be brought back for future tournaments after they prove their fitness.

One of the biggest surprise, however, was the exclusion of Drag flick specialist Len Aiyappa, who was instrumental in the Bangalore Lions winning the PHL and also was the highest scorer in the tournament with ten goals.

Secretary K Jothikumaran said that since all the three drag flickers, Sandeep Singh, Didar Singh and Raghunath, have performed well in the PHL, there was no point in having one more drag flicker in the side. All the three deserved a place in the side as Didar was the player of the tournament and Raghunath the best player in the Tier II division. Sandeep Singh8217;s performance as a drag flicker and also a defender was also impressive during the tournament. Though Sandeep Singh8217;s performance as a mid-fielder was not up to par and might have called for the inclusion of Bimal Lakra. Another surprise addition to the squad was inclusion goalkeeper Adrian D8217;Souza who performance during the PHL was miserable.

Rasquniha 8216;rested8217;

Mumbai: He played every minute of the eight games his team featured in during the second edition of the second Premier Hockey League at Chandigarh. Yet Maratha Warriors skipper Viren Rasquinha finds himself being told by the Indian Hockey Federation that he8217;s injured and must be rested for the forthcoming six-test series home and away against Pakistan and the Commonwealth Games at Melbourne. Sources close to Rasquinha, however, are not willing to buy IHF8217;s story. 8216;8216;How can you treat someone like this?8217;8217; he asks. 8216;8216;He has played brilliantly throughout the PHL and at no point showed signs of any injury. There8217;s more to dropping Viren than meets the eye.8217;8217;

Rajinder has Gill8217;s blessings

Chandigarh: The IHF officially stated that Rajinder Singh Jr would be retained as coach for the national team finally putting an end to all speculations that he was to be replaced after his departure from the PHL mid-way into the tournament. K P S Gill supported Rajinder even after the team8217;s horrible performances in the recent past and said, 8220;If a player cannot defend a ball then what can a coach do about it?8221; Gill added that the issue was discussed at length, after which the Federation decided to retain him. The rest of the support staff has also been retained. Clarence Lobo will be the assistant coach with Sampad Kumar as trainer and Ravi Kanakamedala as physiotherapist. ENS

The squad for Indo-Pak series

Goal Keepers: Bharat Chetri Karnataka, Adrian D8217;Souza Indian Airlines Full backs: Captain Dilip Tirkey IA, Kanwalpreet Singh Punjab Police, Harpal Singh Namdhari, Raghunath Air India Mid-Fielders: VS Vinaya IA, Vikram Pillay IA, Ignace Tirkey Services, Prabodh Tirkey IA, Sandeep Singh IA, Sandeep Singh IA Forwards: Rajpal Singh IOC, Didar Singh IOC, Sardara Singh IOC, Tushar Khandekar BPCL, Tejbir Singh, Arjun Halappa IA, Adam Sinclair Tamil Nadu, Shivender Singh Railways, Hari Prasad BPCL