Experienced mid-fielder Ignace Tirkey staged a comeback to the Indian hockey team as an 18-member squad for the World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany [Images], in September, was announced in Chennai on Thursday.

Ignace, who was out of action for several months because of an injury, replaced Namdhari mid-fielder Ajmer Singh.

Young linkman Nitin Kumar was rewarded for his good showing in the six-nation junior tournament in Poland earlier this year and received a call-up in place of Bimal Lakra, who skipped the World Cup preparatory camp citing domestic pre-occupations.

Besides the two changes, the team that won the bronze medal in the eight-nation Azlan Shah tournament remains unchanged.

The tournament is from September 6 to 17.

"The team had been gelling well. The selectors had watched them in the Champions Trophy here, then in the Azlan Shah tournament, where they won the bronze medal, and Independence Cup, which concluded here yesterday. At this point of time, we decided to go by the request of the coaches," Indian Hockey Federation chief K P S Gill said.

Asked whether any development side player was discussed for selection, Gill said, "The selectors and the coaches are happy with the improvement shown by the present team. We decided not to have any one from the development side (which lost to the Seniors 0-1 in the final of the Indepdence Cup)."

Gill sounded cautious about the team's chances in the World Cup.

"It is difficult to say anything right now on the possible podium finish. Standard of hockey-playing nations have been on the rise. But our present team has been shaping well."

On Australian trainer Derek Knox's role in the team, Gill said, "We could not have him when we wanted. But given the short time (joining the team on July 23 last in Bangalore), he has done a good job."

He said as part of doping rules, urine samples of all the World Cup-bound players had already been taken during the camp in Hyderabad.

As for the performance of the development side, which had been fielded for the SAF Games, he said it had been more than satisfying.

"The main (senior) team is better but the development side is more or less equal to the seniors. I am encouraged by the performance of the under-18 team also, which has more of 16-year-olds in the squad, who will be ready to play in the 2009 Junior World Cup and some of them will go upto the 2012 Olympics [Images]."

He said development side players will be ready for the 2008 Olympics in China.

The IHF also planned to start a Centre for Excellence mainly consisting of players from the number of academies existing in the country. This would be in the formative stage. 

On the national championship for which dates are yet to be decided, Gill said, "It is part of the IHF calendar. Sixteen or 18 prominent players will be away but we will have the nationals."

Gill said the premier league would be extended and it would be held in two phases in two months.

On the new goal-keeper rule introduced by the FIH, Gill said, "We always try out the changes. It will be tried in the 2007 Premier League. I must say the goalkeepers will have more work to do as per this rule. The coaches have to decide which one of the three options to be followed in a match." 

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Adrian D'Souza, Bharat Kumar Chetri.

Full backs: Dilip Tirkey, Sandeep Singh, Kanwalpreet Singh.

Mid-fielders: V S Vinay, Vikram Pillay, Prabodh Tirkey, Viren Rasquinha, Nitin Kumar, Ignace Tirkey.

Forwards: Gagan Ajit Singh, Tejbir Singh, Rajpal Singh, Tushar Khandekar, Shivendra Singh, Arjun Halappa, Hari Prasad.

Chief coach: V Bhaskaran

Coach: Harendra Singh

Physio: Ravi Kanakamedala

Trainer: Derek Knox

Manager: S P Das

Videographer: S Ramakrishnan.

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