Back in national hockey camp, defender Rohidas looking to make the cut

Bengaluru March 28 (IANS) Defender Amit Rohidas is on a comeback trail after a formidable performance for 2017 Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) champions Kalinga Lancers. His performance under crunch situations for the Bhubaneswar-based outfit pulled him back in to the contention of the national team after a gap of more than two years.

With chief coach Roelant Oltmans putting his wards under the scanner day after day in the 40-day camp and the selection trials for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled for next week Rohidas is eager to show his worth again and make this opportunity count.

I am really happy to receive this call-up for the national camp the 23-year-old from Sundergarh district in Odisha said on Tuesday.

After making a memorable debut in the junior squad at the Under-18 in Asia Cup in 2009 Rohidas was part of the junior squad right up to the 2013 FIH Junior Men s Hockey World Cup in New Delhi.

He often found a place in the senior camp too and even played in the 2014 Hockey Men s World League Final. After that for more than three years I was out of the national camp. But I never gave up hope he stated.

But the past three years was a difficult phase for me waiting in the fringes hoping for a comeback. I stayed persistent and I am thankful to Hockey India as I played back-to-back national championships got to improve my game in the domestic circuit and earnestly practiced for the Coal India HIL.

I think it was this year s good stint in Coal India HIL that the selectors noticed me once again. This is like a new lease of life for me he said.

He also thanked Kalinga captain and German veteran Moritz Furste for keeping him motivated with sound advice during the HIL days. From a very humble background where Rohidas parents worked for daily wages he has climbed the success ladder with creditable performances in Coal India HIL where he was first auctioned for $29 000 in 2013.

He has played under two-time Olympic gold medal winner Furste for five years and feels this stint has helped him grow as a player.

There are a lot of new things you get to learn as a player under Moritz. It was the zest to play an improvised League year after year that kept me motivated despite being absent in the Indian camp Rohidas who a product of Panposh Sports Hostel in Rourkela recalled.

--IANS
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