Some of the players of the Sikkim state team. (Pema Leyda Shangderpa)

Gangtok, May 20: Sikkim will end a four-year hiatus from national football tournaments by taking part in this year’s Santosh Trophy, but Bhaichung will not be there.

The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has lined up a 20-member team to represent the state at the 62nd edition of the oldest national football championship in India, scheduled to be held in Jammu and Kashmir from next week.

However, the Indian captain will be away on national duty, playing against Taiwan on May 24 in Goa before joining a preparatory camp for the SAAF games.

Other big names like Nirmal Chettri (who has joined East Bengal), Ashish Chettri and Bijendra Rai (both are in the India Under-16 team) will also be absent because of various commitments.

Ong Tshering Lepcha, a striker who plays for Churchill Brothers in Goa, will lead the Sikkim team, which will leave for Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow. Air India striker Sanju Pradhan has been named the vice-captain.

Sikkim has been grouped with Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Chandigarh in the qualifying round. The team’s campaign begins on May 26 against Tamil Nadu.

“We hope to do well. The boys should improve as the tournament progresses,” Thupten Rapgyal, the coach, said. SFA working president B.K. Roka said the climatic condition of Srinagar, which is similar to that of Sikkim, would suit the team.

Sources said the SFA had not sent a team to the tournament for the past four years because of non-availability of footballers and lack of time for preparation.

Although Sikkim has produced several players who have done well at the national level and even played for Team India, the state team has never reached the finals of Santosh Trophy.