The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) has named 32 probables and a nine-member support staff, who will begin their preparations for the Champions Challenge Cup in Boom (Belgium) with a camp at the Sports Authority of India Southern Centre from May 23 to June 12.
The probables’ list has a few changes from the last camp held in SAI before the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, where India won the bronze.
Ace midfielder Viren Rasquinha of Indian Oil Corporation finds himself in the list and so does senior forward Deepak Thakur. The other fresh faces included for the camp are Tussavurjit Singh (defender), Jaswinder Singh, Ajitesh Roy (both midfielders), Yudhvir Singh, Sunil Kumar (both forwards) and Gurpreet Singh (goalkeeper).
Ignace Tirkey has not been considered for the camp due to personal reasons. Other players from the Azlan Shah camp who have been left out are Didar Singh, Harpal Singh and Sarvanjit Singh.
“After the camp here, the team will leave for Germany for a brief training stint. That is basically to get acclimatised to the weather there,” said Manager and coordinator R K Shetty.

Prasad roped in
Like last time, SAI badminton coach Ganguly Prasad will lend his expertise to the team for physical training. During the camp for the Azlan Shah Cup, Prasad had helped the goalkeepers with their reflexes.
“I understand the sessions they had with me helped them in the tournament. I will be helping them out again since they have requested me,” said Prasad.
“I need their feedback and want to know their deficiencies. Only then can I help them out since players in different positions have different roles and requirements. This is a short camp. If it was a longer camp, I could have made more detailed plans. “This is indeed a challenging job and I am looking forward to it. If my expertise is useful to the hockey players, then I am for it.”
Prasad added that his first priority would be badminton and that helping the hockey team would only be during camps.

Probables: Goalkeepers: Adrian D’Souza (IA), Bharat Chhetri (Karnataka), Baljit Singh (IOC), Gurpreet Singh (AI). Defenders: Dilip Tirkey (IA), William Xalxo (BPCL), V R Raghunath (IOC), Tussavurjit Singh (PSB), Sandeep Singh (IA), Sunil Yadav (IOC). Midfielders: Gurbaj Singh (AI), Vickram Kanth (IOC), Bimal Lakra (IA), Sardara Singh (IOC), Prabodh Tirkey (IA), Pawal Lakra (Services), Senthil Kumar (Tamil Nadu), Jaswinder Singh (IOC), Ajitesh Roy (PNB), Viren Rasquinha (IOC). Forwards: Rajpal Singh (IOC), Roshan Minz (IOC), Bharat Chikkara (IOC), Prabhjot Singh (IOC), Deepak Thakur (IOC), Tushar Khandker (BPCL), Shivendra Singh (Railways), Bruno Logun (AI), Yudhvir Singh (AI), Sunil Kumar (Services), Damandeep Singh (PNB), Gagan Ajit Singh (Punjab Police).
Chief coach: Joaquim Carvalho; Coach: M P Singh; Assistant coach: M Ramesh Parmeswaran; Physio: Srikanth; Trainer: Ganguly Prasad; Doctor: Jayaprakash; Video analyst: Vinoth; Technical director: M M Somaiya; Manager and coordinator: R K Shetty.