NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
STAT SHEET
DIARY
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
DEAR REDIFF

Baljit Singh Saini to lead new look Indian hockey team

Half back Baljit Singh Saini was today named captain of the new look 16-member Indian hockey team for the four-nation tournament to be played in Sydney and Melbourne from April 9 to 19.

Baljit led India in the Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes last year where they finished runners up.

Nine players, including versatile forward Dhanraj Pillay, who led India in the just-concluded eight Test series against Pakistan, have been ''rested''.

Apart from Pillay, others who were in the squad against Pakistan but do not figure in the team for Australia are goalkeeper A B Subbaiah, full back Lazarus Barla, half backs Anwar Khan, Mohammad Riaz forwards Mukesh Kumar, Harbhajan, Brojen Singh and Gavin Ferreira.

The selectors wanted to rest Pillay, Mukesh Kumar and Riaz as they did not want 'injury problems' just before the World Cup.

The 16-member team, which leaves for Sydney on Monday, April 6, will be accompanied by six officials including former national coach Cedric D'Souza.

The team:

Goalkeepers: Jagadish Ponnappa, Jude Menezes

Fullbacks: Dilip Tirkey, Anil Aldrin, Dinesh Naik

Half backs: Baljit Singh Saini, Thirumal Valavan, Senthil, Ramandeep, S S Gill

Forwards: Sabu Varkey, Devinder Kumar, Rajesh Chauhan, Samir Dad, Virinder Singh, Baljit Singh Chandi

Coaches: V Bhaskaran, C R Kumar

Manager: Colonel G A Siddiqui

Umpire: K Krishnamurthy

Doctor: Dr Cruz

Expert: Cedric D'Souza

Former Olympic captain M M Somaya, who was appointed hockey manager for the Pakistan series, will not travel with the team on this tour.

The team for Australia includes eight players who represented India in the Junior World Cup. Apart from Saini, the others are Ponnappa, Tirkey, Senthil, Chauhan, Dad, Virinder and Baljit Chandi.

Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and India are taking part in the tounament, the first leg of which will be played in Sydney from April 9 to 12. The second leg is scheduled at Melbourne from April 15 to 19.

The tournament schedule:

At Sydney:

April 9: India vs New Zealand. Australia vs Argentina.

April 11: Australia vs New Zealand. India vs Argentina.

April 12: Argentina vs New Zealand. Australia vs India.

At Melbourne:

April 15: India vs Argentina. Australia vs New Zealand.

April 16: Argentina vs Australia. India vs New Zealand.

April 18: Argentina vs New Zealand. Australia vs India.

April 19: Matches for 3 and 4 places and final.

UNI