Hockey India named senior goalkeeper P R Sreejesh as the captain of the national team for the Rio Olympics, removing long-time skipper Sardar Singh. Sreejesh, one of the finest custodians in world hockey at the moment, was rewarded after the team, under his leadership, ended up with a silver medal at the six-nation Champions Trophy hockey tournament in London.
Sreejesh had a good tournament both as a player and captain as India had their best performance in the 38-year-history of the tournament. The team played a brilliant final where they held eventual champions Australia to a goalless draw in the regulation time before losing in a controversial shoot-out.
Playmaker SV Sunil, who is also a key component in the team, has been named vice-captain. Things fell in place for Sreejesh at the right time and went awry for Sardar, who has been going through a torrid time both on and off the field.
His performance has dipped on the field as he is no longer as sharp a midfielder as he used to be. Off it, allegations of rape after promising marriage levelled by a British national has also dented his reputation.
Sardar has been the captain of the national team for a number of years having led the team in London 2012. While Sardar was rested for the Champions Trophy where India produced their best-ever show, the team did have a slump when it played the next tournament in Valencia, where they could win only one match against minnows Ireland, losing two games and managing to draw a couple.
The Team:
Goalkeeper: PR Sreejesh (Captain)
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Kothajit Singh, Surender Kumar, VR Raghunath
Midfielders: Sardar Singh, Devinder Walmiki, Danish Mujtaba, Chinglensana Singh, Manpreet Singh, SK Uthappa
Forwards: SV Sunil (Vice-captain), Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Nikkin Thimmaiah
Standbys: Pradeep Mor and Vikas Dahiya (goalkeeper)
Sushila is the new women's skipper
A change in captaincy also took place in the Rio-bound women's hockey team with gritty defender Sushila Chanu replacing Ritu Rani who was dropped on grounds of poor form and attitude. Goalkeeper Deepika Kumari will be Chanu's deputy. Chief coach Neil Hawgood refused to comment on the decision to drop Ritu Rani. “Sushila is not new. She captained the team on the Australian tour and earlier the junior World Cup team. That was the most successful team in a long time for India. We have got experience and I think people underestimate our captain. She is someone who leads by example, does everything. Sushila has been very strong in recovering from the ACL injury,” he said. Hawgood said making the quarterfinals would be the immediate target for the team.
Squad: Savita (GK), Navjot Kaur (midfielder), Deep Grace Ekka (defender), Monika (midfielder), Anuradha Devi (forward), Poonam Rani (forward), Vandana Kataria (forward), Deepika (defender), Namita Toppo (defender), Renuka Yadav (midfielder), Sunita Lakra (defender), Sushila Chanu (defender), Rani Rampal (forward), Preeti Dubey (forward), Lilima Minz (midfielder), Nikki Pradhan (forward).
