Ballal looking forward to new assignment

By Our Special Correspondent

PIMPRI, JAN. 8. Ashish Ballal will be back in the National camp on Tuesday after two years on the sidelines, when the Indian hockey probables assemble at Ludhiana. This time Ballal returns in an unique double role - goalkeepers' coach and also as an aspirant for one of the slots on the team.

He will be assisting National coach Cedric D'Souza at the camp, the first assembly of Indian probables after the Sydney Olympics Games. The 30-year-old Indian Airlines custodian has also obtained permission from Mr. K.P.S.Gill, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president, to practise with the other players.

``I am delighted the federation has given me an opportunity to work with Cedric D'Souza and C.R. Kumar and am looking forward to learning more about coaching, especially from Cedric'', said Ballal, speaking to The Hindu from Bangalore.

``At the same time, I will also be doing my own training at Ludhiana, so that in case the selectors want to assess my form I am ready.

Ballal went to New Delhi recently to meet Mr. Gill after being named the goalkeepers coach by the federation and put forward his view on playing ambitions. ``I told the IHF president that if the federation considers me to be over the hill, they can say so and I will readily announce my retirement and concentrate on coaching. If not, I sought permission to continue training at the National camp because I feel that I can play atleast two years of international hockey for India and five years for Indian Airlines''.

The former India goalkeeper added ``Mr. Gill told me to first join the camp and allowed me to do my training. Regarding the chances of playing for India, he said it will be decided in due course.

Ballal's last international match for India was in the final of the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games against South Korea where he delivered in the penalty-stroke duel and played his part in winning the gold for his country.

The federation then dropped him from the National squad, alongwith five others, on grounds of alleged indiscipline, and he has been on the sidelines for the last two years, during which time he has maintained form and fitness.

He has represented Indian Airlines in the Senior Nationals and was part of the winning team both at Hyderabad last year and at Jammu last month.

Now he is on the national coaching panel, even while nursing ambitions to don Indian colours on the strength of current form. Ballal does not know how he will approach the dual roles at Ludhiana, but does not rule himself out of international hockey on the basis of age.

``At 30, I don't think I am too old to play for India, nor too young to coach though working with juniors would more sensible'', said the goalkeeper, who will become the first Indian hockey international to be considered for a coaching assignment while he is still actively playing the game.

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