India sweat on Sardara, Ignace injuries

Sardara, the central midfielder, plays the crucial role of a game-maker and also falls back to bolster the defence, while Ignace's composure is of vital importance in the deep defence.

"We have to learn to have Ignace on the pitch in the last 10 minutes of each session when pressure mounts on our defence," said Nobbs. "Ignace's experience and composure can play a very important role out there."

"And Sardara, of course, is an outstanding world-class player," said Nobbs.

"What is important is that they are in high spirits, and are slowly going to get back into their rhythm," the coach said.

Ignace is one of the two Indian players who have previously played in the Olympics Games, having done so at Athens in 2004. Penalty corner ace Sandeep Singh is the only other player in this Indian team to have featured in the Olympics.

This is because the Indian team, eight-time Olympic Games gold medallists, failed to qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing.

That was the first time that India did not feature in the Olympic line-up.

Winning their Olympic qualifiers event, India are now back in the frame at London, where they won the 1948 Games hockey gold medal -? the first sporting achievement of a team after independence.

Sardara, the central midfielder, plays the crucial role of a game-maker and also falls back to bolster the defence, while Ignace's composure is of vital importance in the deep defence.

"We have to learn to have Ignace on the pitch in the last 10 minutes of each session when pressure mounts on our defence," said Nobbs. "Ignace's experience and composure can play a very important role out there."

"And Sardara, of course, is an outstanding world-class player," said Nobbs.

"What is important is that they are in high spirits, and are slowly going to get back into their rhythm," the coach said.

Ignace is one of the two Indian players who have previously played in the Olympics Games, having done so at Athens in 2004. Penalty corner ace Sandeep Singh is the only other player in this Indian team to have featured in the Olympics.

This is because the Indian team, eight-time Olympic Games gold medallists, failed to qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing.

That was the first time that India did not feature in the Olympic line-up.

Winning their Olympic qualifiers event, India are now back in the frame at London, where they won the 1948 Games hockey gold medal - the first sporting achievement of a team after independence.