No place for Sandeep, Shivendra in Asia Cup probables

Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh and forward Shivendra Singh were the notable omissions in a list of 48 Indian probables announced on Tuesday for next month's Asia Cup in Malaysia.

Sandeep, who was picked for the World League Round 3 (semi-final) at Rotterdam, the Netherlands, last month, was dropped yet again after India's dismal show in the tournament.

Shivendra also failed to find favour with the selectors.

The probables will train in Bangalore from July 16 to August 16.

The Asia Cup, which is into its ninth edition, will be held in Ipoh from August 24 to September 1.

Hockey India selectors B P Govinda, Savitri Purty, chief coach Michael Nobbs, scientific advisor Jason Konrath and government observer Harbinder Singh selected the core probables.

India is placed in Pool B with Korea, Bangladesh and Oman while Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Chinese-Taipei are in Pool A.

The Asia Cup is also the qualification tournament for the FIH men's World Cup, to be played in The Hague, The Netherlands, from May 31 to June 15 next year.

The list of 48 senior men’s core probables includes seven goalkeepers, nine defenders, 12 midfielders and 20 forwards.

Goalkeepers: P R Sreejesh, P T Rao, Sreenivasa Rao Katharu, Nanak Singh, Naveen Kumar, Jagdeep Dayal, Abhinay Kumar Pandey.

 Defenders: V R Raghunath, Rupinder Pal Singh, Harbir Singh Sandhu, Amit Rohidas, Sampath Kumar Maylaram, Gagandeep Singh, Dayananda Chanamthabam, Narinder Pal Singh, Gurmail Singh.

Midfielders: Sardar Singh, Manpreet Singh, M B Aiyappa, Kothajit Singh, Pardeep Mor, Vivek Dhar, Birendra Lakra, Jaspreet Singh, Simranjit Singh, Manjit Kullu, Vikas Pillay, Sumit.

Forwards: SV Sunil, Gurwinder Singh Chandi, Chinglensana Singh, Danish Mujtaba, SK Uthappa, Pradhan Sommanna, Nithin Thimmaiah, Dharamvir Singh, Akashdeep Singh, MG Poonacha, Prabhdeep Singh, P L Thimmanna, Sukhdev Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Jasjeet Singh, Nikin Thimmaiah, Harman Preet Singh, Manjinder Singh, M.K Muddappa, Gagandeep Singh.  

Image: Sandeep Singh

Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters