KELVINDER Singh’s last assignment with the national team was the Azlan Shah Cup, and the striker is hoping to make a comeback in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Oct 4-14.Coach Stephen van Huizen selected 22 players for the training and playing tour of Europe from Tuesday, but left Kelvinder out again.
“I went for a knee operation after picking up an injury in the Azlan Shah Cup and have been doing rehabilitation since. I missed the China and Australia Tours but hope to be back in the team for the Commonwealth Games,” said Kelvinder.
He re-joined training last week, and the knee problem is a thing of the past: “I have fully recovered, and the knee no longer hurts. That is why I feel I will be ready to give my best in New Delhi.”
In his absence, younger brother Harvinder Singh has been selected after a good performance with the Project 2013 squad when toured Europe recently.
The players will head for Germany on Tuesday, where they will train and play against clubsides, and then head for Ireland for a similar programme.
Their final destination will be France on Aug 24 where they will play a Five Nation. The other teams are Poland, Scotland and Ireland.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) had decided on a mixed team of youth and experience for the Commonwealth Games, which is expected to be dominated by Australia and England who have qualified for the final of the Champions Trophy being played in Monchengladbach.
MHF will field their best side for the Asian Games, where the winner qualifies for the 2012 London Olympics, and Kelvinder is expected to be on that flight to Guangzhou, China.
MALAYSIAN TEAM FOR TOUR: Roslan Jamaluddin (gk), S. Kumar (gk), Khairulnizam Ibrahim (gk), Amin Rahim, Marhan Jalil, Tajol Rosli, Izwan Firdaus, Madzli Ikmar (captain), Faizal Saari, Shahrun Nabil, Sukri Mutalib, Azlan Misron, Jivan Mohan, Razie Rahim, Hafifi Hafiz, Baljit Singh Charun Singh, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, Nabil Fiqri, Azreen Rizal, Harvinder Singh, Ahmad Kazamirul, Fikri Bassar.
