The Indians will be without ace midfielders Viren Rasquinha and Vikram Pillay at the Azlan Shah tournament, which begins on Thursday.
The surprise decision comes despite the Indian team finishing a creditable second in the four-nation tournament in Dusseldorf\n\non Sunday.
The ace forward said he is fully fit and can withstand the rigours of international hockey.
India have decided to send an "experimental" side that consists of mostly junior players for the four-nation hockey tournament.
National hockey coach Rajinder Singh said it was too early to say whether the penalty corner expert would be picked in the Olympics team.
Six Olympians have written to the President seeking to draw his attention to the autocratic way in which the IHF was being run
The Olympic hockey semi-finalists will play two Tests in Chandigarh ahead of the Champions Trophy.
'My target is not just to qualify for the Olympics but also do well at Athens and end up in a good position,' says Indian hockey Chief Coach Rajinder Singh.
'India should take up defence manufacturing in a more serious manner and encourage greater private participation.'
The return of private investment now struggles with lack of funds and election-driven uncertainty.
Indian Airlines beat Bharat Petroleum while Indian Oil beat Air India in the Super League stage of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh hockey tournament.
Indian hockey officials hope the time away from home will help the players bond after weeks of controversy.
Former players hit back at K P S Gill for his comment that those who played in the Olympics after 1966 were "not Olympians but losers".
Injury will also keep Vikram Pillay out of the two Tests against the Spaniards.
India hockey captain Dilip Tirkey says Pillay's experience will be missed at the upcoming Olympic hockey qualifier in Madrid.
The ace defender has been appointed skipper for the upcoming three-Test series against Holland in Hyderabad.
Defender Dilip Tirkey will lead the team for the four-Test series, starting on September 24.
India beat Ireland 6-2 to win the third and last Test in Cologne, Germany.
He has achieved a legendary status after pocketing 15th world title and India's most celebrated cueist Pankaj Advani derives a lot of satisfaction from the fact that he has successfully managed the tough balancing act of playing snooker and billiards at such a high level.
India's hockey coach said the team will try to sort out "certain weaknesses" during the Afro-Asian Games.
Pakistan take on Nigeria in another match in the Afro Asian Games hockey tournament.
They beat Bangalore Hi-Fliers in their last match of the Premier Hockey League to finish with 13 points.
Drag-flicker Len Aiyappa was also included in the 16-man squad for the Afro-Asian Games.
The former India goalkeeper turned in a fine display in the tie-breaker as Airlines beat Central Railway in the quarter-finals of the DCM Shriram tournament.
Sports Minister Vikram Verma said there was no discussion on selection matters.
"I can't understand why I was not picked," the 30-year-old full-back said.\n\n
Dr Vece Paes briefed them on how to remain fit and fresh for the entire duration of the game.
The list of core probables of the senior men's hockey team has been pruned down to 33 from 48 after a three-day selection trials held at the SAI Centre, Bangalore from July 25-27.
India scored twice in each half for a 4-1 win in the Hamburg Masters hockey tournament.
Two goals down, India won their Group B match 4-2 and stayed in the hunt for a semi-final berth in the men's hockey tournament.
The Mumbai side shocked star-studded Indian Airlines in the final of the tournament.\n\n
India captain Dhanraj Pillay said the camp in Himachal Pradesh helped the team get closer.
India frittered a two-goal lead and went down 2-4 in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament.
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