NEW DELHI Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur paid the price for their poor performance in last month's Hockey World Cup when they were dropped from the list of 45 probables for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, beginning in Ipoh, Malaysia May 6. After poor showing in World Cup where India finished eighth, forwards Deepak and Prabhjot, the two senior most players, were easy targets for the selectors who met on Thursday to pick probables.
The rest of the World Cup squad made it to national camp in Pune which begins from April 13.
Selectors went through the performance chart of players of the last eight months and found that some of them hardly played any serious competitive hockey on tours.
They took serious view of them warming bench for long spells without valid reasons which was communicated to the team management.
The overwhelming view was they should take charge of entire selection process if they have to face music if team does not perform well.
A selector said Prabhjot and Deepak were dropped on performance alone, though there would be speculation they had been left out because of their role in the players' revolt over wages just before the World Cup.
“Frankly, we looked at long-term prospects of team and it was felt two may not make cut for London Olympics in 2012. Moreover, it is best time to infuse young blood considering that we have to qualify for Olympics by winning gold at Guangzhou Asian Games in December, failing which team will have to again go through cumbersome qualification process.”
Selectors also considered former captain Dilip Tirkey but it was decided not to recall him as he does not appear to be interested. Selection commitee meeting was attended by Balbir Singh, Muneer Sait, BP Govinda, Sita Mehta. Ajitpal Singh & Zafar Iqbal present as government observers.
India, which will defend Azlan Shah Cup, will meet China in opening match May 6.
Other countries competing in 10-day tournament are world champions Australia, Asian champions South Korea, Pakistan, Egypt & hosts Malaysia.—PPI
