The team's core probable group has been living in a bio-secure environment at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility since August this year after a six-week break.
Last year, both the hockey teams secured their Olympic berth in Bhubaneswar following a successful outing in the Olympic Qualifiers at the Kalinga Stadium.
Having been selected in the senior core probable group again, Tirkey says his focus is now on executing what the chief coach expects of him and also on his drag-flicking.
The team is currently taking part in the national coaching camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kothajit said that the Indian team returned to the pitch at the right time and are moving forward with each sports activities session.
Six players of the men's team, including Manpreet, had tested positive for COVID-19 at the team's training base here in August after they arrived for the national camp following a month's break.
The Indian women's hockey team has enjoyed good results in top tournaments recently, including winning the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games and qualifying for back-to-back Olympics.
Captain Manpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Mandeep Singh were discharged from a Bangalore hospital on August 17 and were kept on quarantine for some more days before joining the team.
Mandeep is one of the six men hockey players, including skipper Manpreet Singh, who had tested positive for COVID-19 at the team's training base here last month after they arrived for the national camp.
Goyal, who has played 75 matches for the national team so far, is currently at the SAI South Centre in Bengaluru for the national camp which concludes on September 30.
The midfielder has expressed that he is looking to become a much more evolved player in the next one year.
Akashdeep has been part of several crucial victories in the last four years such as Olympic Qualifiers 2019 wins over Russia, clinching the bronze medal at the Asian Games 2018 and winning the FIH Men's Series Finals 2019.
For now, however, the players in the national camp at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Bengaluru centre are just happy to be finally reunited with a hockey stick and a ball.
SAI said in a statement that Manpreet, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Mandeep Singh have been placed under quarantine at its Bengaluru centre after they were discharged from the hospital.
The gold that India had clinched in the 1948 Olympics was their first the Indian tri-colour as against the Union flag that unfurled in the three previous times
Six Indian men's team players have tested positive after reaching Bengaluru for the national camp, scheduled to start on August 20.
Besides Manpreet, defender Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, drag-flicker Varun Kumar and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak have also tested positive for the dreaded virus.
The 31-year-old former defender is of the view that the Indian team should make a fresh start in its Olympic preparations following a forced break due to the pandemic
V Baskaran, who captained India to Olympic gold in 1980, said that both, the men's and women's hockey teams are capable of securing podium finish in Olympics next year.
Eight-time champions India have bee clubbed alongside Australia, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand and hosts Japan in a tough Pool A in the men's competition
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