Sardar back as skipper

New Delhi: Veteran Sardar Singh has got one more chance to prolong his international career after he was on Tuesday named captain of the Indian men's hockey team for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, a tournament where three players will make their debut for the country.

Sardar, who is in the twilight of his career, has been in and out of the team lately and was ignored from India's last two international assignments.Sardar last played for India at the Asia Cup but was dropped from the Indian squads for the Hockey World League Final in last December and then for the tour of New Zealand.

But new chief coach Sjoerd Marijne handed a lifeline to him to lead India at next month's Azlan Shah Cup. Regular skipper Manpreet Singh was rested. The event will be played from March 3 to 11 in Ipoh. Besides hosts Malaysia and India, others in contention include Australia,  Argentina, England and Ireland.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Suraj Karkera, Krishan B Pathak; 

Defenders: Amit Rohidas, Dipsan Tirkey, Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Mandeep Mor; 

Midfielders: SK Uthappa, Sardar Singh (Captain), Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Simranjeet Singh; 
Forwards: Gurjant Singh, Ramandeep Singh (Vice-capt), Talwinder Singh, Sumit Kumar (Junior), Shilanand Lakra.