'2 to 4 players on borderline': HI selection chief hints at rejig as India prepare for busy year

RAJGIR: With the World Cup and the Asian Games coming up next year, new faces will be included in the team from the junior squad and it will see the departure of as many as four seniors who have been part of the Pro League, the tour to Australia and the Asia Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!"Of the players who were part of the Paris Olympics, Lalit Upadhyay has retired and we have also seen Gurjant Singh and Shamsher Singh go out of the team. Similarly, there are two to four players who are on the borderline. You have been seeing them and we also have been following their performance," the chairman of Hockey India’s selection committee RP Singh told TOI on the sidelines of the Asia Cup on Saturday night."We will have a word with them after the tournament and let them know how we feel and make sure they can get an honourable exit. In most cases, the players also understand that they are failing but there are times when they are unable to let go."

And, according to sources, one player each from among the goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and defenders are likely to be shown the door.While this was expected to happen, one wonders why it did not happen earlier.

It’s likely due to the fact that coach Craig Fulton wanted to get past this tournament with experienced players and then slowly get the youngsters into the squad.While this transition will slowly begin from now, the junior players will be included into the senior camp only after the junior World Cup to be held in Chennai-Madurai later this year."First, they will become part of the core group and then taken on tours to slowly get them acquainted with the senior team.

It’s after all a team game and the selection cannot be made on the basis of just individual performance," added the selection committee chairman.While the junior players will have to wait for the time being, some of the players from the India A team have already transitioned into the senior side and were part of the Australian tour after going on a tour to Europe. Players like Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Selvam Karthi were also selected for the Asia Cup, albeit among the reserves.Meanwhile, he assured that the best team will be selected for both the World Cup and Asian Games to be held within a span of three weeks. However, he did add that excuses from players will not be tolerated in the coming days."We make sure the players get the best of facilities, the best of coaching and every kind of support that one requires to perform well. So we don’t expect to hear excuses after poor showing from them," said the former India player.