Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :
Lucknow :
City lad Amir Ali will lead the 18-member Indian junior men’s hockey team in the 12th edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia. The team, announced on Sunday by Hockey India, also includes Shardanand Tiwari, a defender also from Lucknow.
The team, which will play under newly appointed head coach PR Sreejesh, will have Rohit as Amir’s deputy, said a Hockey India press release.
India will begin their campaign against Japan on Oct 19, followed by matches against Great Britain (Oct 20), hosts Malaysia (Oct 22), Australia (Oct 23), and New Zealand (Oct 25). The top two teams will advance to the final, scheduled for Oct 26.
Amir, son of a motorcycle mechanic Tasawar Ali, used to help at his father’s makeshift shop as a child. He began his hockey journey at the age of 10 at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Society ground, where he was groomed by his coach, Rashid Aziz Khan. He was also guided by veteran players Syed Ali and Sujeet Kumar, who run the ‘Babu’ Society.
Talking about Amir, Rashid said, “Amir and his brother Shahrukh learned the basics of hockey from me. Amir is a very hardworking boy, and his growth is commendable.”
“After being announced as the Indian junior captain, Amir called me to share the news. I wish him and Shardanand Tiwari a fantastic career,” Rashid added.
Meanwhile, Amir’s brother Shahrukh was ecstatic over the news. “I am very happy that Amir will lead the country in the Sultan of Johor Cup,” he said, adding that he couldn’t talk to Amir as he was representing the Uttar Pradesh team in the All India KD Singh ‘Babu’ Tournament, but he will meet him soon.
“I must thank Rashid Aziz, Sujeet Kumar, and Syed Ali, and express my gratitude to the chief selector of Hockey India, RP Singh, for promoting hockey in Uttar Pradesh and supporting the players,” he said.
THE TEAM: Goalkeepers: Bikramjit Singh, Ali Khan; Defenders: Amir Ali (C), Talem Priyobarta, Shardanand Tiwari, Sukhvinder, Anmol Ekka, Rohit (VC); Midfielders: Ankit Pal, Manmeet Singh, Rosan Kujur, Mukesh Toppo, Chandan Yadav; Forwards: Gurjot Singh, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Dilraj Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Konain Dad.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> Sports News> Hockey News / by Fazal Khan, TNN (headline edited) / October 07th, 2024