The Premier Hockey League (PHL) was to be the benchmark based on which the team and coach selection were to follow but the axing of coach Vasudevan Baskaran has contradicted any such intentions. Prior to appointing Carvalho as the coach, the IHF considered the names of Harendra Singh and A K Bansal, who coached Orissa Steelers to victory in PHL this year.

The Indian squad has a rather new look about it with old timers like Dhanraj Pillay and Viren Rasquinha missing out. Rasquinha, one of the better players from India in the last decade or so, was a bad exclusion since this squad is a little poor on experience.

Captain Prabodh Tirkey, who was also the junior captain, replaced Dilip Tirkey who was playing in the Netherlands and could not participate in the two-day selection camp. Gagan Ajit Singh and dragflicker Sandeep Singh, who also did not participate in the two-day trials, were not considered for selection.

There are a couple of comebacks also being made and this will make the selection interesting. Bimal Lakra, who was ignored throughout last year and forward Prabhjot Singh are two of the comeback figures. Ignace Tirkey is also in the squad but his final participation is subject to clearing a fitness test. Ignace had sustained an injury in the PHL and if he fails the fitness test, Vikram Kamath will replace him. One of India’s most experienced goalkeepers, Adrian D’Souza, who was also part of the Asian Games contingent that was knocked out early, was among those who were left out.

India has long said that it is concentrating on the Commonwealth Games 2010 and with that view, this team does offer some opportunities provided these players are given enough chances and allowed to gel as a unit.