Hockey India today named four players from Odisha in an 18-member Indian team for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Men’s International Hockey Tournament, scheduled to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from March 3 to 10, 2018. The four Odisha players are: Amit Rohidas, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Shilanand Lakra.

Six countries _ World No 1 Australia, World No 2 Argentina, England, India, Ireland and hosts Malaysia _ would participate in this tournament. The Indian team, featuring three debutants in Mandeep Mor, Sumit Kumar and Shilanand Lakra, will be led by Sardar Singh, while the responsibility of vice-captain will be shouldered by Ramandeep Singh.

``Just like the New Zealand Tour where four players made their International debut, the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is a great opportunity for these new players to get international exposure against top teams,’’ stated Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne, who was behind India’s title triumph at the Men’s Asia Cup-2017 and the bronze medal feat at the Men’s Hockey World League Final-2017 at Bhubaneswar.

TEAM INDIA:
Goalkeepers: Suraj Karkera, Krishan B Pathak.
Defenders: Amit Rohidas, Dipsan Tirkey, Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Mandeep Mor.
Mid-fielders: SK Uthappa, Sardar Singh (Captain), Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Simranjeet Singh.
Forwards: Gurjant Singh, Ramandeep Singh (Vice-captain), Talwinder Singh, Sumit Kumar (Junior), Shilanand Lakra.