Manpreet to lead, Sunil dropped
Chinglensana picked vicecaptain as India name 18member squad for showpiece event
NEW DELHI: Manpreet Singh will lead India’s 18-member hockey squad for the FIH World Cup beginning in Bhubaneswar on November 28 but the experienced Rupinder Pal Singh and S V Sunil missed out from the team announced on Thursday.
Veteran striker Sunil’s participation was always in doubt ever since he picked up a knee injury during the national camp in the lead up to the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat last month.
Rupinder Pal has been ignored again after being dropped from the continental event last month.
Sunil too did not play in the tournament in which India were declared joint winners with Pakistan after rain played spoilsport in the final.
The Indian team, which will play against South Africa on the opening day, features PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak as goalkeepers.
Manpreet’s deputy will be Chinglensana Singh Kangujam.
Odisha’s experienced defender Birendra Lakra makes a comeback after missing out in Muscat due to rehabilitation. Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Kothajit Singh, 2016 Junior World Cup winners Harmanpreet Singh and Varun Kumar will form India’s defence.
The midfield will feature the dynamic Manpreet, who played a pivotal role in India’s campaign as defending champions at the Asian Champions
Trophy.
Chinglensana will add to the experience in the center along with young guns Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma and Hardik Singh, who made his international debut last month.
The forward line has Akashdeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Lalit
Upadhyay and Junior World Cup winners Mandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh.
India, grouped in Pool C along with World No.3 Belgium, Canada and South Africa, will need to finish on top of the pool to secure a place in the quarter-finals.