Tirkey, Gagan miss training session

New Delhi:

Several probables including former captain Dilip Tirkey and forward Gagan Ajit Singh were among those who missed the first day of the hockey camp at the National Stadium in the Capital today ahead of the Afro-Asian Games. Just over a dozen out of 24 of probables attended the training session on the opening day, although chief coach Rajinder Singh said the rest would be reporting for the camp later in the day. "They could not reach for various reasons. Some players could not attend the camp due to a function in Punjab," Rajinder Singh told reporters. Besides Dilip and Gagan, other notable absentees were Asia Cup hero Ignace Tirkey, Vimal Lakra, Kanwalpreet Singh and Vikram Pillay. There will be no Dhanraj Pillay or Baljit Singh Dhillon in the camp as the duo has been given rest along with five others after India's maiden Asia Cup title win in Malaysia last month. The Indian coach said the senior members' services will be missed, though it will also give the greenhorns international exposure. (PTI)