V.R. Raghunath will lead the Indian hockey team in the absence of the injured P.R. Sreejesh during its tour of Australia.
India is set to travel to Australia later this month to play a four-nation tournament, starting November 23, followed by a Test series against the home side.
Sreejesh is yet to recover from the knee injury he sustained during the penalty shoot-out against South Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy. Akash Chikte, who turned in a fine performance in the final of the ACT, will take his place in goal.
Sreejesh will, in the meantime, work with the Indian Junior team’s goalkeepers, as they prepare for next month’s World Cup.
“Sreejesh has already starting working with them and will assist Dave Staniforth (goalkeeping coach) who is joining us next week.
“This is great for the young boys and [his] sharing his experience with them will be valuable ahead of the Junior World Cup,” said chief coach Roelant Oltmans, who will remain in India to work with the Junior team.
The strategic coach, Roger van Gent, will accompany the senior team to Australia.
S.V. Sunil, meanwhile, has not completely recovered from the wrist injury he sustained at the Rio Olympics.
He will be absent from the touring party, as will Ramandeep Singh, who filled in for Sunil at the ACT but is now injured.
Captain confidentRaghunath was confident of a good showing in Australia. “The Asian Champions Trophy win has boosted the morale of the players and the team’s spirit is high.
“ However, playing in Australia is a different challenge and we are up for it. We have beaten Australia in their home earlier in the 2014 Test series and look to repeat it this time," he said.
The team: V.R. Raghunath (capt.), Abhinav Kumar Pandey, Akash Chikte, Rupinder Pal Singh, Pardeep Mor, Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh, Surender Kumar, Chinglensana Singh, Manpreet Singh, Sardar Singh, S.K. Uthappa, Talwinder Singh, Nikkin Thimmaiah, Affan Yousuf, Mohammad Amir Khan, Satbir Singh and Akashdeep Singh.
