VFI axes stars, picks newlook young team for Asian Zone event

Chennai, June 11 (UNI) Forced to rebuild the senior team to shore up the performance, the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) has axed as many as six star players and picked a young team comprising those from the junior and youth sections to represent the country in the second Asian Central Zone championship, to be held in Islamabad in Pakistan from June 19 to 23.

VFI Secretary General K Murugan, addressing a press conference on the sidelines of a coaches seminar at the FIVB Development Centre in the premises of the VFI office here today said Sam Josephy, Kapil Dev, Rajesh, Sanjay Kumar, Subba Rao and Syuj have been dropped from the senior squad in the wake of their poor performances in international outings of late.

''We decided to field a young senior team infusing fresh blood, pressured by the Central government dropping volleyball from the list of priority sports for financial assistance,'' he explained.

Mr Murugan also said these six players were being dropped in the wake of their indifferent attitude like not reporting for camps and poor performance, after analysing the situation with the help of an expert committee comprising national coach Syamsundar Rao, former national coach and international player V Ramana Rao and another former player and a national coach K Kurup, representing the Centre.

Mr Murugan said it may be recalled that the Centre decided to drop volleyball from the list of priority sports in the wake of the senior team finishing in the ninth position in the Doha Asian Games recently, where as the team should have finished among the top eight to remain in the priority list.

He said in the new look senior team captain P S Srikanth, G Pradeep, Suba Singh, Ukra Pandian and Sivarajan had already been in the senior squad previously.

The team will leave for Islamabad on June 18.

The new team would be maintained till 2014 with inclusions and deletions, Mr Murugan pointed out.

The following is the squad: P S Srikanth(Capt), Guruchand Singh, Mandeep Singh, Vibin M George, K P Sayeem, Lalit Kumar, G Pradeep, Sube Singh, Shelton Moses, Ukra Pandian, Darshan Singh, Sivarajan.

Stand Byes: T Naresh, V M Vijesh, Somnath Giri Gowda, Arun Jakhmola.

Chief Coach: G E Sridharan, Asst Coach S Karimullah.

Trainer: Harilal Manager: R D Sharma MORE UNI