CHENNAI: On September 12, Hockey India (HI) named a 25-strong core group for Asian Champions Trophy. It was also assumed then that this group would be in the final pre-World Cup camp beginning in the second week of November. The camp for ACT began in Bhubaneswar on September 16, and all seemed well. A week later, a development has caught the eye: the inclusion of Amit Rohidas in the camp, making it a 26-member group.
The Odisha player, who figured in both Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, was “dropped” — at least that’s what the noise emanating from the offices of HI had suggested on that Wednesday — 12 days ago. A casual glance through their press release makes that point clear. “After the disappointment at the 18th Asian Games where the Indian team ended their campaign with a bronze after beating Pakistan, the squad will be overcoming the setback and regroup with fresh perspective in the lead-up to the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.” Fresh. Perspective.
It doesn’t explicitly state that the defender was dropped, but the inference is pretty clear. If the coaches and team management had considered Rohidas important to the squad’s fortunes, they wouldn’t have rested him with just two months to go for the World Cup. So, why was the 25-year-old included? Theories range from valuable cover across defence and midfield (he is a versatile athlete capable of doing so in more than one position) to “external factors”. In fact, one state-based television station even ran a story on how it was their piece highlighting no Odisha players made the camp that led to HI calling up Rohidas. “After OTV first telecast reports about exclusion of Odia players from the ongoing national hockey camp in Bhubaneswar, Amit Rohidas has been included,” OTV wrote on its website. They even called it “OTV impact”.
HI has rubbished these claims. “The selectors and the coach took a look at the camp. Since a few of the players are carrying niggles, we decided that it was best to bring in a back-up,” a top federation official told Express on the condition of anonymity. Another HI sang from the same hymn sheet but said that his name was “missed out”. “His name did figure but it was missed out.” Another aspect about Rohidas’ selection is how HI have dealt with it. Not a single press release and their radio silence across all social media, even though former captain Manpreet Singh had already confirmed his presence. swaroop@newindianexpress.com