Gagan Ajit will surely again bring scoring potential to the team’s forward line

The 18-member squad for the eight-nation ‘mini World Cup’ in Amstelveen (August 14 to 21) has been selected, and, as decided earlier, the junior World Cuppers have not been considered as a matter of principle. In my opinion this is the best possible material to have been selected.

Of course, two other youngsters in this camp, Navpreet Singh (left half from Punjab & Sind Bank) and Raghunath (full back from Karnataka), could have been considered by us selectors.

The two were considered for their progress at drag flicks. They are very young and promising.

However, when Didar Singh (inside left) of Namdhari ? also reasonably good at drag flicks ? got into the team, and with star hitters like Dilip Tirkey and Kanwalpreet Singh pretty indispensable, the two youngsters just could not be positioned.

The problem I have noticed, as in the last Azlan Shah meet, is that many a time when the team gets a penalty corner, the drag flicker is not on the field. The team loses out on that particular penalty corner.

I hope that Didar will be around in the XI always, but had one among Navpreet and Raghunath also been in the squad, it would have been easier for the coach to keep at least one on the field throughout the match.

That advantage is taken by Germany and Holland I have noticed. In today’s hockey, two drag flickers in the team is a boon and can win or lose a match.

I was happy that in the two trials on July 30 and 31 in Chandigarh. Gagan Ajit Singh’s form looked good, even after a one-year lay-off after the Olympics. I am sure he can again bring scoring potential to the team’s forward line. If the two extra drag flickers were there, they could have complemented and supplemented this potential.

If this team plays reasonably well ? I am not hoping for victory or runners-up spot, just asking for a first-four finish ? I will be happy. One thing good about this meet is that there is a rest after every match. India get to play four matches (three, plus the placement).

I think it is good that we are getting this type of competition and I would expect the coaches to give every player a try. I’d hate to see a squad-member player travelling just as a passenger.

Given the chance, one gets to see his potential. If he is good, it’s a bonus, if not that is reason enough to reject him. At least, he would be tested. Hockey will gain from such knowledge.

There will be another camp after this meet. Then the Malaysian team is scheduled to visit India for four Test matches ? as per current planning, they will play two versus the seniors and two versus the juniors. The venues will be from Delhi, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Chennai and Chandigarh and this will be in end-September or early October.

Thereafter the Indian Hockey Federation is trying to organise a four-nation meet with two Indian teams, to prepare for the Champions Trophy in December. The two foreign teams have not been decided upon.

Digressing a bit, I was sorry to see the reaction in a section of the media a few days back as Sourav Ganguly reached Dambulla. Reports, totally unfounded, tried to prove that the team was divided on the lines of the current and the ex-skipper. Such efforts at cheap popularity adds tension in the squad and robs sportsmanship. It is so unfortunate.

The same thing happened during the Olympics in hockey, involving a famous, now former, player.

I was captain of the national team. When I lost it, I had no problem still giving my best for the country. No hard feelings.