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Hockey India has confirmed the schedule of the Indian senior men’s hockey team’s upcoming tour of the Netherlands. The Dutch tour, which is part of the national team’s preparations for the FIH Men’s Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) to be played at Rotterdam, Netherlands from 13-23 June, 2013, will start from April 27 and will run till May 9.
The Indian team will be playing seven matches during its Netherlands tour, featuring two matches against the Dutch national team and five against Dutch club teams.
The Indian team qualified for the FIH World League Round 3 (semifinals) in February this year. The FIH World League is also qualifier for the 2014 World Cup to be played in Hague, Netherlands.
A 18-member team was picked by Hockey India selector Col. Balbir Singh, BP Govinda, chief coach Michael Nobbs and high performance director Roelant Oltmans, along with Government Observer Harbinder Singh, following the selection trials conducted at SAI Centre, Bangalore.
Regular captain Sardar Singh returns to his normal duties after giving the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah cup a miss. Same was the case with regular vice-captain Vokkaliga Raghunath, who also gave the Ipoh tourney a miss.
Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh makes a comeback to the Indian team after last playing in the 2012 London Olympics.
Sandeep sat on the sidelines for India’s four international tournaments – the 34th FIH Champions Trophy, Asian Champions Trophy, Hockey World League Round 2 tournament, and the 22nd Sutlan Azlan Shah Cup – after the disastrous LondonOlympics campaign.
Regular goalkeeper PR Sreejesh is not named in the 18-member squad.
Midfielder Birendra Lakra, who was among four rested for the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, is also unavailable because of his college exams, while striker Gurwinder Singh Chandi is still recovering from a ligament injury sustained during the Hero Hockey India League.
Striker SV Sunil, who has earned more than 100 international caps, also marks a return to the national side after being rested for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
The selectors have named two strikers – Yuvraj Walmiki and SK Uthappa – both were axed from the team for the last three international tournaments – the Asian Champions Trophy, Hockey World League Round 2 event and the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Midfielder Gurmail Singh also returns to the side after missing the 22nd Sutlan Azlan Shah Cup.
It may be mentioned here that talented forward Mandeep Singh was earlier not considered for the senior camp which featured 34 probables. Drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh was not part of the original 34 probables picked for the camp.
The squad: PT Rao, Nanak Singh, VR Raghunath, Rupinder Pal Singh, Harbir Singh Sandhu, Kothajit Singh, Gurmail Singh, Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh, Manpreet Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Danish Mujtaba, SK Uthappa, SV Sunil, Chinglensana Singh, Nithin Thimmaiah, Akashdeep Singh, Yuvraj Walmiki.
