Goalkeeper Baljit Singh, who made a comeback to the Indian hockey camp after two years in wilderness, could not make the core group and was left out of the 48-strong list of probables for the first Asian Champions Trophy in September.
The three-day trials to prune the list of probables for the event concluded at the Sports Authority of India Centre, in Bangalore last evening.
Baljit’s selection for the camp had created quite a buzz about the 29-year-old goalkeeper, who was sidelined after a golf ball hit his right eye during practice in 2009.There was fear of him losing vision but corrective surgeries later, he was back on the field even though he admitted that the layoff nearly destroyed his composure.
But he could not make the cut for the probables’ list. The rest of the group has no surprises to offer with familiar faces getting the selectors’ nod.
Hockey India Selectors Col. Balbir Singh, BP Govinda, Thoiba Singh and AB Subbaiah, besides Government Observer Dilip Tirkey witnessed the trials.
The Asian Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played at Ordos, China from 3rd to 12th September where the first six of the 2010 Guangzhou Asiad shall participate.
The teams are Pakistan, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Japan and China.