Chennai, June 27: The Indian Hockey Federation has decided to treat the Murugappa hockey tournament, to be held here from July 9 to 19, as a selection trial for picking the team for the champions trophy and the Asia Cup.
All the players in the Indian team, now in Germany for the four nation Hamburg Masters tournament, will be in action and the federation would assess their abilities and fitness before picking the probables for the Bangalore camp, secretary of the federation K Jothikumaran said today. The champions trophy is scheduled to be held in mid August in Amstelveen, Holland and the Asia Cup, in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 20 to 28. "IHF president, K P S Gill and the selection committee will assess the present 18-member Indian team and also rope in a few talented juniors, who will figure in the Murugappa tournament, for a camp before the champions trophy and the Asia Cup", Jothikumaran said.
On the lack of sponsors for the team, Jothikumaran said that the federation was holding talks with four corporates. "A final decision on the matter will be arrived at within a week or so", he said.

Leading teams like Air India, Punjab Police, Indian Airlines, Indian Oil, Indian Railways, Mumbai, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bhopal Eleven, ONGC and IHF juniors, besides the local senior division league champions, Indian Overseas Bank will compete in the grade-a tournament.

Bureau Report