New Delhi: Mercurial striker Dhanraj Pillay on Friday replaced Dilip Tirkey as the captain of the Indian team for the 12th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament starting next week in Ipoh, Malaysia.

The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) which announced the 18-member team today for the prestigious tournament starting on March 22 appointed Rajinder Singh and Baldev Singh as the chief coach and coach for the side respectively.

Though Tirkey, a full back, retained his place in the side, IHF said Pillay was given the post due to his "seniority". "There was nothing wrong with Tirkey or his captaincy. He is a good young player.

But Pillay has been appointed the captain as he is the senior-most player in the side," IHF president K P S Gill said. Tirkey was the captain of the side in the Busan Asian Games where India had won the silver.

India will start its campaign with the match against New Zealand on March 22 and will play its league games against Germany, South Korea, Pakistan and Malaysia on March 23, 2, 26 and 28 respectively.

Team:

Goal-keepers: Kamaldeep Singh, Devesh Chauhan.

Full Backs: Dilip Tirkey, Kanwalpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh.

Half Backs: Ignace Tirkey, Vikram Pillay, Bimal Lakra, Arjun Halappa, Devender Singh, Prabodh Tirkey.

Forwards: Dhanraj Pillay, Mukesh Kumar, Baljit Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh, Tejbir Singh.

PTI