Gagan Ajit Singh named captain, Jugraj stages come back

New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) Drag flicker Jugraj Singh today returned to the national side after a gap of three years, while striker Gagan Ajit Singh was recalled to lead the 18-member Indian Hockey team for the four-nation tournament to be played at Monchengladbach, Germany, from April 15 to 17.

Half back Ajmer Singh is the only new player in the team which includes several old faces.

The team will have a new coach in Vasudevan Bhaskran, who also returns to the post after six years as the present incumbent Rajinder Singh Jr was given the marching order by the Indian hockey Federation.

Jugraj Singh, who last played for India in the 2003 Champions Trophy at Amstelveen, was seriously injured in a car accident near Jalandhar later that year.

He was among the 25 pobables who went to Arizona (USA) for coaching-cum-training camp in prepration of the Athens Olympics, however, he was not picked up for the final squad.

Gagan Ajit Singh was 'rested' after the Premier Hockey League and was not considered for the eries against Pakistan and then for the Commonwealth Games.

Also making comeback to the National squad are Adam Sinclair, Hari Prasad and Shivendra Singh.

Defender Harpal Singh, Half back Ignace Tirkey (both unfit), Viren Rasquinha, forwards Deepak Thakur and Didar Singh, who were in the team that went to Melbourne for Commonweralth Games do not figure in this squad.

Ace defender Dilip Tirkey has yet not fully recovered hence he was not considered.

The team: Goal Keepers: Bharat Chettri, Baljit Singh Full Backs: Sandeep Singh, Kanwalpreet Singh, William Xalco, Jugraj Singh Halves: Vikram Pillay, Prabodh Tirkey, Arjun Halappa, Sardara Singh, Ajmer Singh Forwards: Rajpal Singh, Tushar Khandekar, Tejbir Singh, Hari Prasad, Adam Sinclair, Shivendra Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh (Captain).

Chief Coach: V Bhaskran, Coach: Harendra Singh, G.K.coach: Mir Ranjan Negi Manager: G M Srivastava, Physio: Ravi Kankamedala.

Apart from India other three teams taking part in the tournament are Spain, Argentina and hosts Germany. Monchengladbach is the place where World Cup is slated to be held in September. The four-nation tournament will be played on the turfs to be used in the world cup.

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