Dhanraj, Varkey back in Indian squad

Versatile forward Dhanraj Pillay and Sabu Varkey were on Thursday recalled to the 18-member Indian hockey team for the Champions Challenge tournament, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 7 to 15.

However, the team, which has several players who did duty at the junior World Cup in Hobart, suffered a setback, with Sydney Olympians Baljit Singh Saini and Dilip Tirkey opting out due to inujuries.

The tournament was earlier scheduled to be held in Delhi, but it was relocated by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) following security concerns in the aftermath of Afghan war.

Players warm-up before the selection trials at Delhi, for the forthcoming Champions Challenge, to be held at Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Photograph: Saab Press

Interestingly, Rajinder Singh, who was chief coach of the junior World Cup-winning team, has been named chief coach of the squad.

The captain of the team will be named on Friday.

Meanwhile, not much should be read into the appointment of Rajinder Singh as chief coach of the team. It is learnt that Rajinder was entrusted the job as both senior national coach Cedric D'Souza and his assistant C R Kumar, who had been with the boys for over two months, were unable to be present at the just-concluded six-day camp at Delhi, from November 17th to 22nd, for various reasons and looked unlikely to make it to the final camp, beginning on Friday, at Madras.

The former was undergoing medical tests for suspected cardiac and spinal ailments, while Kumar had to report to his employers Southern Railway, Madras, following a promotion.

However, IHF sources said, following a series of tests, D'Souza has been cleared of anything serious and will join the Madras camp on Friday.

The team:

Goalkeepers: Jude Menezes, Devesh Chauhan.
Full backs: Kanwalpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Lazrus Barla.
Half backs: S.S.Gill, Ignace Tirkey, Thirumalvalavan, Vikram Pillay, Bipin Fernandez, Arjun Halappa.
Forwards: Baljit Singh Dhillon, Sabu Varkey, Dhanraj Pillay, Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh and Daljit Singh Dhillon.
Chief coach: Rajinder Singh; Coach: N.S. Sodhi; Manager: Chander Shekhar
Physical trainer: Saju Joseph; Doctor: R K. Jaipal.
Standbys: Goalkeeper: Bharat Chetri, Full back: Kushmeet Singh; Half back: Viren Rasquinha; Forwards: Tejbir Singh and Anoop Anthony.

Editor's note: Cedric D'Souza was the coach of the team. While announcing the team IHF secretary K Jyothikumaran had said Rajinder Singh would be the coach of the Kuala Lumpur-bound squad as D'Souza had taken ill. However, D'Souza was later cleared by doctors and travelled with the team as chief coach.