Chennai, Mar 21: After the doomed Olympic qualification campaign, veteran Indian defender Dilip Tirkey wants to take a break from hockey for three months to recover from an ankle injury and decide his future.

The former national skipper has requested Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president K P S Gill that he may not be considered for assignments during this period.

The 30-year-old defender will thus miss the four-nation tournament in Australia next month when India will be pitted against the hosts as well as Korea and China.

India is to play another four-nation tourney in Dublin in June.

"Since I am recovering from an ankle injury, I have today requested IHF president and the team management not to consider me for a period of three months, by which time I will be fully fit," Tirkey told PTI.

The veteran is still undecided as to how long he will continue in the game.

"As far as my future goes, I will decide after due consultations with the Federation," he said.