Sardar Singh named captain, Pargat is manager of Indian hockey team

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) In a swift move, Sardar Singh was today named captain and former Olympian Pargat Singh appointed manager of the Indian team for the Azlan Shah hockey tournament starting in Ipoh, Malaysia tomorrow.

''Sardar Singh replaces Tushar Khandekar while Pargat will take the place of R K Shetty,'' Chairman of the adhoc selection committee Aslam Sher Khan told UNI.

A visibly annoyed Aslam Sher Khan said that he was very upset the way RK Shetty and some others have acted.''It was a clear case of indiscipline and sabotage.'' ''The manager did not inform us that he was coming back to India from Australia rather than going to Malaysia.It was a conspiracy,'' he added.

Three players -- Tushar Khandekar, Samir Baxla and Baljit Singh -- who along with coach Joachim Carvalho came back to India from Australia instead of going to Ipoh. Aslam however said they were ''victims of conspiracy.'' Aslam said he and other selectors were in touch with coach AK Bansal in Ipoh who has assured ''us that team is in good spirit.'' ''Bansal is of the view that team is balanced. If he wants more players then these three would be asked to go. We have contacted employers of these players regarding this,'' Aslam added.

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