Jyothikumaran added, ``Malaysia is also keen to participate in the tournament and confirmation on their participation will be known shortly.''

The tournament would be the basis for selection of the final squad for the Asian Games. The selection committee would pick a team of 16 plus four stand byes for the tournament, in which India play hosts, Thailand, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.

He said his Malaysian counterpart had confirmed that they had never called off the tour and the four Test matches scheduled would greatly help in the preparation for Games. The Test matches would be played from November 23 to 28 -- two each in Chennai and Hyderabad. The Indian team would also participate in the Egyptian tournament during middle ofNovember, he said.

The final squad for participation in the Asian Games would be sent to the Indian Olympic Association, the apex body for sports, before Nov 6, the last day for giving entries.

With the inclusion of Gavin Ferreira, the senior probable list had become 30 and for the first time, the IHF had 58 players including 28 in the second string team to rotate for best results.

Development team: The fortnight-long hockey camp for the Indian development team began here today, with 14 of the 28 members reporting on the opening day at Chennai.

New-look Pak team

Karachi: Pakistan announced a new look team for the six-nation Champions Trophy hockey tournament after a one-day trial here yesterday. The 20th Champions Trophy meet begins in Lahore on October 31.

Right half Mohammad Usman was retained as captain and centre forward Kamran Ashraf staged a comeback after missing the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia last month due to knee injury.

Full back Olympian Danish Kalim and half backIrfan Mahmood were axed.Kamran, 24, a prolific scorer, will be the vice-captain.

The hosts face a tough competition, with defending champions Germany, World and Olympic champions The Netherlands, Commonwealth Games champions Australia, silver medallist at the 1996 Olympics and World Cup Spain, and South Korea lined up for the event. England pulled out of the event amid security fears, giving way to Asian champions South Korea.

Team: Ahmed Alam and Mohammad Qasim (goalkeepers), Aamir Salim, Ali Raza, Sohail Abbas (full backs), Mohammad Usman (captain), Imran Yousuf, Mohammad Wasim, Asad Ali Qureshi (half backs), Hyder Hussain, Mohammad Sarwar, Kamran Ashraf, Naveed Iqbal, Mohammad Anees, Atif Bashir and Baber Abdullah (forwards) Manager: Khwaja Zakauddin, Coach: Shahnaz Sheikh.