Defender Amit Rohidas will be the only player from Odisha to represent Indian men’s hockey team in the XXI Commonwealth Games 2018 start in Gold Coast, Australia on April 4. Though four from Odisha represented the country in the 27th Sultan Shah Cup Tournament at Ipoh, Malaysia earlier this month, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Shilanand Lakra among them were dropped from the 18-member team announced today by Hockey India for the Commonwealth Games.

Despite Odisha Government becoming sponsors of the Indian men and women hockey teams for next five years, exclusion of the three Odisha players from the men’s team railsed eyebrows in the state sports fraternity.

The Indian team has been placed in Pool B along with Pakistan, Malaysia, Wales, England and will begin their campaign on April 7 against Pakistan. Mid-fielder Manpreet Singh will lead the team with Chinglensana Singh Kangujam as his deputy. It was under Manpreet’s leadership the Indian team lifted the coveted Asia Cup 2017 followed by a bronze medal feat at the Men’s Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar 2017.

``This team has been picked keeping in mind the team’s performance in the previous tournaments since the Asia Cup 2017. We have tried out different combinations in the past events and we believe this will be the most effective combination for the Gold Coast 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games,’’ asserted Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.

In the previous two editions of the Commonwealth Games, India had finished second behind Australia. Skipper Manpreet Singh, however, is confident of turning the tables this time.

TEAM INDIA:

Goalkeepers: Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, Suraj Karkera.
Defenders: Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh Kadangbam, Gurinder Singh, Amit Rohidas.
Mid-fielders: Manpreet Singh (Captain), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (Vice-captain), Sumit, Vivek Sagar Prasad.
Forwards: Akashdeep Singh, Sunil Sowmarpet Vitalacharya, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh.