New Delhi: Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh and strikers Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur were on Saturday dropped from the 18-member Indian squad for the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia as selectors chose to infuse new blood in the side.
Also missing from the squad to be captained by Rajpal Singh is another drag-flick specialist Diwakar Ram as the selectors decided to give chance to some new players in the wake of India's poor performance in the World Cup here last month.
Goalkeeper Adrian d' Souza and striker Gurvinder Singh Chandi who played in the World Cup also failed to find a place in the squad for the event that will be payed from May 6 to 16.
The players were selected after a two-day trial at Balewadi, Pune that ended on Friday.
The selection trials were attended by Hockey India selectors BP Govinda, Balbir Singh, Madhu Yadav and Sita Mehta and government observers Ajitpal Singh and Zafar Iqbal.
The selectors and coaches unanimously decided to give a chance to some new promising players in this tournament, a Hockey India release said.
It has also been decided to put a core management team for all overseas series and tournaments as well as domestic matches. This committee shall comprise coaches, captain and team manager who will decide on the playing composition of the squad before every match.
India are four-time champions in this tournament having won the title in 1985, 1991, 1995 and 2009.
The squad:
Goalkeepers: Sreejesh PR, Bharat Chetri
Defenders: Sardar Singh, Dhananjay Mahadik, Amit Prabhakar, Rupinder Pal Singh.
Midfielders: Gurbaj Singh Ravi Pal Singh, Prabodh Tirkey, Bharat Chikara, Vikas Pillay, Danish Mujtaba.
Forwards: Rajpal Singh (captain), Tushar Khandker, Shivendra Singh, Mandip Antil, Arjun Halappa, Sarvanjit Singh.
Standbys: Jaswinder Singh, Ajitesh Roy, Vikas Sharma, Bikas Toppo.
Officials: Jose Brasa (head coach), Harendra Singh (national coach), Clarence Lobo, Gundeep Kumar.
India's match schedule:
May 6: India vs China
May 7: India vs Pakistan
May 9: India vs South Korea
May 10: India vs Australia
May 12: India vs Malaysia
May 15: India vs Egypt
May 16: 3-4 position playoff and Final
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