Experienced Chinglensana Singh returned to the Indian team after almost a year while youngster Sumit too made the cut for the 20-member Indian men’s hockey team that will take on World No. 3 the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 season-opener later this week.
India will play the first of its four home fixtures of the competition on January 18 and 19 in Bhubaneswar.
While Chinglensana suffered an ankle fracture during the final of the ninth National Championships in February last year in February — he led Railways to a title triumph — Sumit had suffered a wrist injury during the FIH Men’s Series Finals in June 2019, which India won.
“We have chosen a relatively experienced team.
“While Varun will be back in training this week, he wasn’t considered for selection. Chinglensana and Sumit, coming back from long injury lay-offs, have been training well and are physically fit,” chief coach Graham Reid said.
“It will be important to start strong and sharp in the Pro League with our first three ties being against the top-three teams in the world.
“We will be focussing on getting our structures right as preparation for our Olympic campaign,” added reid.
Gurjant too returns
Also coming back after a long hiatus was striker Gurjant Singh, who was part of the 2016 junior World Cup side but failed to cement his place in the senior side, after impressing the team management during the national camps.
However, defender and drag-flicker Varun Kumar failed to get back to full fitness after suffering a nerve injury during the Olympic Qualifiers in November last.
India last played Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup, losing 1-2 to the eventual runners-up. India would take on Belgium (February 8-9) and Australia (February 21-22) before leaving for its away fixtures.
The squad:
Goalkeepers: P.R. Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak.
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Birendra Lakra, Rupinderpal Singh.
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Chinglensana Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit.
Forwards: Gurjant Singh, S.V. Sunil, Lalit Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Gursahibjit Singh, Kothajit Singh.
