Indian team will travel to Antwerp, Belgium for Hockey World league semi-finals without first choice players but that will not be a reason for concern for coach Paul Van Ass as the team has already qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Missing V Raghunath, SV Sunil and Kothajit Singh from the initial squad, they were replaced with Devender Walmiki and Satbeer while Rupinder Pal Singh comes back in place of Raghunath in a like-for-like replacement as drag flickers. However, his role will be switched from the previous central position to the sides. Gurbaj Singh who had also picked an injury has returned to training and will travel with the team.
Dutchman van Ass said injuries were part of the game and he had to work around it. “It (injury) will always happen. It happens when you push the level and intensity up while training. When you raise level it is severe on the body. But I take it as it is, key players are missing but it’s also an opportunity for others. If one is missing, the other can step up,” he said in the capital at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on Friday.
Rupinder who was dropped initially in favour of Raghunath as a new strategy, vowed to work hard to latch on to this chance and on the new position. “I did not want to come back to team like this. I feel for Raghunath. But now I have to prove that I am good enough. I have to be mentally prepared since playing from a different position is tough. If I miss penalty corner, it will add to pressure on me,” he said.