By IANS
Chennai : Penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh’s international hockey career is all but over as the drag-flicker, citing ill-health, has pulled out of the ongoing camp in Bangalore ahead of the five-Test series against Belgium here later this month.
Announcing this Monday, Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) secretary-general K. Jothikumaran said: “This evening, Sandeep Singh submitted a medical certificate that recommends him to rest and recuperate. He will be available only after January 27.”
It effectively rules out Sandeep from the five-Test series (Jan 25-31), the tour of Australia (Feb 1-15) and possibly the Olympic qualifier in Chile from March 1-9.
Chief coach Joaquim Carlvaho was also surprised with Sandeep’s decision to pull out from the tournament.
“I have just been informed that Sandeep has been advised rest until January 27. So, it obviously means he will be out of the Test series and the tour of Australia. On our return, we will only have very few days before we leave for Chile,” Carlvaho told IANS.
The coach would not comment on whether it effectively ends Sandeep’s chances of returning to Indian team.
“We have given him enough chances to prove himself, and if he is not in a position to attend training camps for whatever reason, then there is nothing we can do,” Carvalho said.
The IHF had made attending training camps mandatory for players to be considered for selection to the Indian team.
With the likes of V. Ramachandra Raghunath and Diwakar being groomed for this specialist role, Sandeep Singh will have to fight his back into the Indian team after proving his physical fitness that currently hangs fire.
Sandeep, once reckoned to be a world-class drag-flicker in the making, played only in the Champions Challenge tournament in Belgium (July), while missing the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia (May) and the Asia Cup in Chennai (September).
In Belgium, Sandeep converted only two penalty corners besides a penalty stroke. His performance touched the nadir against Argentina against whom India received 12 penalty corners but could not convert even one. It led to his ouster from the team for the Asia Cup.
In 2006, Sandeep Singh missed the World Cup in Germany following a freak gun shot injury barely few days before the team’s departure to Europe. He subsequently recovered but has never been quite the same player on his return.
He was called for training camp ahead of the Azlan Shah tournament, but after an overnight stay, he returned home citing personal reasons.
During the conditioning camp for the Champions Challenge, Sandeep regularly missed training citing injuries and following his mediocre showing in Belgium, his days with the National team were virtually numbered as he was dropped for the Asia Cup.
In the recently concluded Premier Hockey League in Chandigarh, Sandeep represented Chandigarh Dynamos that lost to Bangalore Hi-Fliers in the final, but again, his performance was not up to the mark.
“Since he converted a few penalty corners, we invited him to the camp now on here in Bangalore, but if he unwell and not able to attend training, then obviously we are in no position to select him,” said India coach Carvalho.
Sandeep was drafted into the Indian team after the premature exit of the promising Jugraj Singh whose career ended following a road accident in 2003 after the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam where he had an outstanding tournament.
Sandeep struggled to cement his position in the side as he was found wanting in tackling, mobility and recovery. However, in the absence of an effective replacement, he kept his spot in the team until he was shot in the hip in 2006 causing him to miss the World Cup.