Chhetri, Tushar out of shortlisted 33 for Champions Trophy hockey

Patiala: The Hockey India (HI) Selection Committee on Monday ignored custodian Bharat Chhetri and forward Tushar Khandker while trimming down the list of Core Group Men probables to 33 after the three-day selection trials ended at the SAI Centre, Netaji Subash National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala on Saturday.

The fitness and performance of all the 48 probables selected for the camp was tested by coach Michael Nobbs; HI Selectors Col. Balbir Singh, BP Govinda and Thoaiba Singh; and Government Observer Harbinder Singh before cutting down the number of probables to 33 for the busy season ahead.

India are to play the Lanco International Super Series in Perth (November 22 to 25), the FIH Champions Trophy in Melbourne (December 1 to 9) and the second Asian Men's Champions Trophy in Doha (December 20 to 27) leading up to the end of this year.

The 48 probables were trimmed down to 33 before the final 18 are announced for the Lanco series and Champions Trophy.

Both Chhetri and Khandker were part of India's squad for the recently concluded London Olympics, where India finished last in the 12-team competition under Chhetri's leadership.

List of 33 shortlisted players:

Goakeepers: PR Sreejesh, PT Rao, Srenivas Rao

Fullbacks: VR Raghunath, Sandeep Singh, Rupinderpal Singh, Harbir Singh, Amit Rohidas, Sampath Kumar Maylaram

Halfbacks: Sardar Singh, Kothajit Singh, Birendra Lakra, Manpreet Singh, MB Aiyappa, Pradeep Mor, Gurmail Singh, Vivek Dhar

Forwards: SV Sunil, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Chinglensana Singh, Shivendra Singh, Danish Mujtaba, SK Uthappa, Pradhanna Sommanna, Nithin Thimmaiah, Yuvraj Walmiki, Dharamvir Singh, Akashdeep Singh, MG Poonacha, Prabhdeep Singh, PL Thimmanna, Sukhdev Singh, Gurpreet Singh

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