18 August,2011 08:47 AM IST | | Ashwin Ferro
Pakistan's veteran striker Rehan reacts to goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza's axing
Pakistan's hockey veteran Rehan Butt yesterday expressed shock at the omission of goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza from the Indian hockey team scheduled to travel to Ordos, China for the 1st Asian Champions Trophy from September 3-11.
Adrian D'Souza
Rehan, who witnessed the famed Adrian vs drag-flicker Sohail Abbas duel of yesteryear from close quarters, could not believe how an experienced 'keeper like him could be left in the lurch. "I know Adrian very well, and I just cannot understand how he has not been picked. He's one of the most promising goalkeepers around," Butt told MiD DAY from Pakistan yesterday.
Goalkeepers Bharat Chetri of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu's PR Sreejesh were picked ahead of Adrian, with Punjab's Kamaldeep Singh named as a stand-by. Ironically, the 27-year-old Air-India custodian didn't even make the six reserves of the Hockey India-picked outfit. Butt recalled Adrian's claim to fame. "I remember how his unique style of rushing out to stop Sohail's flicks worked wonders for India. Sohail was in deadly form at that time," said the 33-year-old. "I have nothing against the other 'keepers, and I believe that Bharat (Chetri) too is a good goalkeeper. I would have expected Adrian and Bharat to have been picked," claimed Butt, who guided Pakistan to the gold medal at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games in China.
