Karthi Selvam Eyes Senior Indian Hockey Team Comeback After Europe Tour

Bengaluru, Jul 23 (PTI) Tamil Nadu forward Karthi Selvam is optimistic about reclaiming his spot in the Senior Indian men’s hockey squad following valuable experience gained from his recent tour with the India 'A' team in Europe. The tour has bolstered his chances of returning to the Indian national colors.

Karthi last played for the senior Indian team during the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in 2023. The exposure and tailored coaching during the tour have renewed his belief in making it back into the core group.

"The recent India 'A' tour to Europe has reignited my hopes of returning to the Indian team," Karthi mentioned in a release from Hockey India. "It's approaching two years since I last donned the Indian jersey, and the tour offered numerous insights, blending young talent with seasoned players," he added.

The India ‘A’ squad has returned to the SAI centre in Bengaluru, where they will train alongside the senior core group. They will also be considered for selection for the forthcoming Australia tour and the Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar next month.

Karthi’s strong performance with the Tamil Nadu Dragons in the revised Hockey India League earlier this year caught the selectors' attention, leading to his inclusion in the national camp and the development squad under coach and former India forward Shivendra Singh.

The India ‘A’ team commenced its European tour with commanding victories against Ireland (6-1 and 6-0) and had both a win and a loss against France (3-2 and 0-2). They delivered a close 2-3 contest against England but fell to Belgium 1-3 and experienced defeats against the Netherlands with scores of 0-3 and 2-8.

"We began the tour on a high note, and the match against England was closely contested, but the Netherlands posed tough competition, preventing us from ending the tour on a high. Overall, it was a tremendous experience," he said.

Karthi commended the coaching staff for aiding his game refinement, with particular emphasis on off-the-ball tactics.

“Craig (Fulton) and Cosma, our Analytical Coach, offered critical insights into my game, especially off-the-ball movements. I've applied these tactics and am eager to break into the Indian side again,” Karthi commented.

Karthi acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead. “There’s a substantial amount of hard work still required. There’s a nuanced difference between the performance levels of the senior team and our development team. Bridging these gaps remains our focus during this camp,” he concluded.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)