A second-string hockey team, comprising mostly youngsters, will represent India at the SAF Games, to be held in Colombo from August 18 to 27.

Both India and Pakistan -- the heavyweights in the Games -- have decided to rest their senior players as they prepare for the prestigious hockey World Cup, to be played in Monchengladbach, Germany [Images], from September 6.

Thirty-two probables, from among whom the Indian team for SAF Games will be selected, are attending a training camp in Patiala from July 5 under junior coach Clarence Lobo.

Indian Hockey Federation secretary K Jothikumaran said the senior players cannot be spared for the Colombo meet because of the packed schedule the team has.

"Our engagements in the SAF Games will come to an end on August 25 and the team for the World Cup would leave on August 24. So it is not possible to spare the senior players at all," Jothikumaran said.

He said the Indian team for the August engagement would mainly comprise junior players who performed well to win the title at the six-nation tournament in Poland last month.

Jothikumaran said the final team for the SAF Games would be declared in a few days.

"The camp in Patiala is going on in full flow. It will take a while for us to announce the team. Later, the players will be given a break before uniting for the final phase of the camp," he added.

• Complete hockey coverage