Drag-flicker, forward dropped from 48-member list of probables for Asia Cup
Star defender Sandeep Singh and forward Shivendra Singh paid the price for their poor performance at the Hockey World league (HWl) as they were dropped from the list of 48 Indian probables announced on Tuesday for the Asia Cup to be held in Malaysia next month.
The duo were included in the national team for the HWl Round 3 (Semi-Final) in Rotterdam for the first time after the debacle at the london Olympics last year. But they were unable to make too much of an impression.
Sandeep was particularly disappointing as his famed dragflicks lacked the sting to trouble rival defences.
With much riding on the Indian team’s performance at the Asia Cup, which will be held in Ipoh from August 24 to September 1, Chief coach Michael Nobbs preferred to continue with his youth policy which has produced good results earlier with experienced midfield dynamo Sardar Singh leading the bunch.
Senior goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who has produced several impressive performances in recent tournament, is one of the few senior players who have retained their places in the team after london 2012.
Defender and penalty corner specialist VR Raghunath and forward SV Sunil and Danish Mujtaba are the other seniors in the squad.
The Asia Cup will be a make or break tournament for the Indian team since it is their last chance to qualify for the FIH Men’s World Cup to be played in The Hague, The Netherlands from May 31 to June 15 next year.
They will need to win the continental crown in order to ensure qualification.
The probables will go through a month long training camp in Bangalore from July 16 to August 16. India is placed in pool B with title contenders South Korea, Bangladesh and Oman while Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Chinese-Taipei are in Pool A.