Sreejesh won’t play in Murugappa

Though the tournament has attracted big teams such as ONGC, IOC and Air India, which has many India internationals, the organisers said they would be away in the national camps before the World Cup in November in Bhubaneswar.

But Chennai Hockey Association president and India former captain V Baskaran played down the absence of the top players from the tournament. “When did they ever play in the Murugappa tournament?,” he asked. “In the last four years, they have always been in camps and even now they have been away for the last five months, so this is nothing new.”

Asked whether India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who had expressed his desire to play for Tamil Nadu in the Murugappa tournament, would be in the Chennai team, Baskaran clarified. “Sreejesh is working in Kerala and so he is not qualified to represent Chennai or TN,” he explained. Then how come he was selected for a cash award of TN government? Baskaran said he did not want to comment on the issue.

The tournament will be held till September 16. In all, 10 teams are divided in two pools. The winner and runner-up will receive cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh respectively.