Tirkey named skipper for Challenger series

Prabodh Tirkey will lead the 16-member Indian hockey team at the seven-nation junior Challenger tournament starting in Poland on August 18, it was announced in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The team, announced by Indian Hockey Federation Secretary K Jothikumaran, has two members -- Tirkey and Tushar Khandekar -- from the senior camp which was held in Lucknow for the Champions Trophy. India, the junior world champions, will be competing against the cream of Asian and European talent at the Challenger championship to be held at Gniezno.

"We have to counter the challenge of good teams such as Pakistan and Germany. But the boys are well prepared for the task ahead," said coach Harendra Singh at the function organised by sponsors Sahara India Pariwar to felicitate the team and boost its morale ahead of its departure to Poland on Thursday.

Each player of the squad was presented with a memento, a shawl, a gold bracelet having the name of the player embossed on it and a Swiss watch.

The players looked upbeat as they shared their experiences at the 20-day camp which concluded in Banglore yesterday.

Team: Prabodh Tirkey (capt), Adrian D'Souza, A C Kuttappa, William Xalxo, Sandeep Singh, Hamza Mujhtaba, Gurbaj Singh, Jagat Juthi, Vivek Gupta, Nitin Kumar, Vikas Toppo, Birender Lakra, Girish Pimpale, Adam Sinclair, Tushar Khandekar and Hari Prasad