Busy year ahead for Indian hockey, tough task for selectors

NEW DELHI: The food for thought for Indian hockey is this — 2006 is going to be an abnormally hectic year for the Indian team.

From next month’s Champions Trophy in Chennai till the Asian Games in the end of 2006, India will be participating in the World Cup, Champions Trophy, Azlan Shah, Commonwealth Games, Asiad and other internationals which are hosted annually by Australia and Hamburg (Germany).

The IHF is expected to announce a final list of 25 probables for the Champions Trophy on Tuesday in New Delhi after watching the 46 campers in Hyderabad from October 29 to 30.

The team faces the maximum demands — it needs to, first, cultivate the hunger for success; secondly, the IHF needs to identify an army of 35-40 players of international level; and third, a leader who can guide the team well.

Former Olympic gold medallist and now national selector, Gurbux Singh, says a team can win a medal only if it has “three to four world-class players” and another “six-seven of international level”.

According to Gurbux, in the current Indian team there are none in that category but three players are on the fringe of the A list.

“Dilip Tirkey, Adrian D’Souza and Viren Rasquinha are the three key players,” he says, while adding: “Gagan Ajit Singh, when in form, can be a devastating player.”

“Let’s be honest — India is targeting to first reach the semifinals of a tournament. We cannot compare our pool of players with that of the top teams,” says the national selector.

DNA analyses the IHF’s main pool of 35 players — those, who are expected to be part of the Indian team’s campaign till the 2006 Asian Games.

The opinions were sought from the panel of national selectors, former Olympians, technical expert of the IHF Harmeek Singh, and India junior and senior coaches.

The fitness mark of the players are given by experts.

Goalkeepers

India can afford to be comfortable after a long time. Adrian D’Souza and Bharat Chettri are the top two on form followed by the promising PR Sreejesh and Gurpreet Singh

BHARAT CHETRI (KARNATAKA)
Age: 24
Fitness: 7/10; must improve endurance power
Form: Has been performing after being given more chance in 2005

PR SREEJESH  (KERALA)
Age: 17
Fitness: 6/10; should improve endurance, reflexes
Status: Newcomer

ADRIAN D’SOUZA (BPCL)
Age: 21
Fitness: 9/10; clocked the fastest timing (3.83 secs) in 30m sprint at the camp
Form: No.1 ‘keeper in the country and among the best in the world

GURPREET SINGH (AI)
Age: 17
Fitness: 6/10; should improve endurance, agility
Form: Newcomer

Defenders

There is one world-class player, another who can take his place in the future and the third is trying to make a comeback. The future is not all that promising in this department

KANWALPREET SINGH (PUNJAB POLICE)
Age: 24
Fitness: 7/10; must improve endurance, reaction time
Form: Returned to team after being dropped for the 2004 Olympics

DILIP TIRKEY (IA)
Age: 28
Fitness: 8/10; could improve endurance
Form: Among the top defenders in the business

WILLIAM XALXO (AI)
Age: 21
Fitness: 9/10
Form: Made senior debut in 2004. Expected to take Dilip Tirkey’s place in the future

SANDEEP SINGH (IA)
Age: 21
Fitness: 5/10
Form: Is India’s No.1 penalty-corner expert, but basics — skill, defending is very poor

HARPAL SINGH (NAMDHARI)
Age: 22
Fitness: 7/10; needs to improve reaction time
Status: Below average display, must avoid errors, improve tackling

MUTHU SELVAN (TN)
Age: 18
Fitness: 6/10; needs to improve speed, reaction & endurance
Form: Newcomer. A clean tackler, has good anticipation. A coach’s player who performs provided given proper instructions

KULDEEP SINGH (AI)
Age: 18
Fitness: 7/10
Form: Newcomer. Solid temperament, has a good scoop

AJMER SINGH (NAMDHARI)
Age: 21
Fitness: 8/10; should improve
agility
Form: Newcomer. Is a good tackler and a better defender than Harpal Singh, who, though, is more experienced

Midfield

One area which needs a lot of improvement. Currently, there are five quality midfielders — but there’s added pressure on them. They have to not only prove their own form, but also support the weak forwardline

VS VINAYA (IA)
Age: 20
Fitness: 9/10
Form: Very impressive in the Junior World Cup in July. The right-half can attack as well as defend

VIKRAM PILLAY (IA)
Age: 25
Fitness: 8/10; suffered frequent injuries between 2004-05
Form: Very consistent in the last one year. Strong in attack but defending needs to be improved

VIREN RASQUINHA (IOC)
Age: 25
Fitness: 7/10: should improve strength and endurance
Form: World-class midfielder, very consistent since 2003 but needs to attack more

IGNACE TIRKEY (SERVICES)
Age: 24
Fitness: 9/10
Form: Considered to be the most talented player in the team but inconsistent in the last two years

BIMAL LAKRA (IA)
Age: 25
Fitness: 6/10; on a comeback mission
Form: Inconsistent after being dropped from the 2004 Olympic squad

DAVINDER PAL SINGH (PUNJAB & SIND BANK)
Age: 26
Fitness: 6/10; must improve speed, endurance
Form: Not of international level, lacks both speed and skill

PRABODH TIRKEY (IA)
Age: 21
Fitness: 6/10; has to improve endurance after suffering injury in 2004
Form: Talented newcomer, a complete player who’s good in both attack and defence

PRABHDEEP SINGH (BPCL)
Age: 24
Fitness: 5/10
Form: Not of international level. Found lacking in both speed and skill

NITIN (IOC)
Age: 21
Fitness: 6/10; needs overall improvement
Form: The newcomer plays in the right-half and can also play effectively in the right-link position in the forwardline

SENTHIL KUMAR (TN)
Age: 17
Fitness: 6/10; needs overall improvement
Form: Newcomer. Skilfull but needs to be more aggressive

VIVEK GUPTA (ONGC)
Age: 21
Fitness: 7/10; to improve endurance and strength
Form: Strong in attack but defending is weak. Playing since 2004

DHANANJAY MAHADIK  (KARNATAKA)
Age: 17
Fitness: 6/10; needs overall improvement
Form: Skilfull player in centre-half for the future

GURBAJ SINGH (IA)
Age: 18
Fitness: 7/10; needs overall improvement
Form: The right-half is a good bet for the future

Forwards

The talent is there, but what lacks is cohesion. Ego clashes too have played a part in diminishing their attacking potent

ARJUN HALAPPA (IA)
Age: 25
Fitness: 8/10; needs to improve strength
Form: A thinking player and one of the most reliable in the team

PRABHJOT SINGH (IOC)
Age: 25
Fitness: 7/10; should improve endurance, strength
Form: Poor. Needs to improve fast. Name’s on the chopping blocks

RAVI PAL (PUNJAB & SIND BANK)
Age: 22
Fitness: 7/10; to improve strength
Form: Newcomer. Has good ball control

TUSHAR KHANEDKAR (BPCL)
Age: 20
Fitness: 8/10; to improve strength
Status: Promising left-winger, who’s hoping to cement his place in the team

HARI PRASAD (CUSTOMS)
Age: 20
Fitness: 7/10; needs to improve speed, endurance
Form: Promising centre-forward who has everything in his game except finishing

ADAM SINCLAIR (TN)
Age: 20
Fitness: 8/10
Form: Not of international level. A former athlete, he has speed but no skill at all

RAJPAL SINGH (IOC)
Age: 22
Fitness: 8/10; to improve strength
Form: One of the underachievers, he can be a threat to any defence with his skill and style of play

GAGAN AJIT SINGH (PUNJAB POLICE)
Age: 25
Fitness: 7/10; to improve speed and endurance
Form: World-class talent, who was out of the team for a year

V RAJA (TN)
Age: 16
Fitness: 7/10; to improve endurance & strength
Form: Is said to be the only player in the country who can beat any defender with body dodge

DIDAR SINGH (NAMDHARI)
Age: 23
Fitness: 7/10; to improve endurance & strength
Form: Not of international level. Has been given ample opportunities to prove himself