Sport - Hockey   

A big setback for India: Pillay

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI SEPT. 4. The career-threatening accident suffered by the penalty corner specialist Jugraj Singh may put Indian hockey a few steps backwards.

''It is a big setback for Indian hockey. Frankly, we might take a while to come to terms with Jugraj's absence,'' said captain Dhanraj Pillay.

In Delhi, after visiting his badly-injured colleague in a Ludhiana hospital, Pillay declared that in the given context `Jugraj cannot be replaced."

"He's the best-ever drag-flicker we had,'' Pillay said adding that Jugraj used to perform four duties, of a defender, attacker, penalty corner expert and drag-flicker with same ease.

On Tuesday night, Jugraj Singh met with a road accident while trying to save a cycle-rickshaw, which pulled up in front of his car. He was operated on for about seven hours before he regained consciousness. Pillay was in Pune when he heard the news and rushed to Ludhiana to meet his doughty compatriot.

"And, when he spoke to me Jugraj said that he was feeling sad because he would not be able to play against Pakistan in the coming Asia Cup,'' Pillay told reporters here.

The Indian skipper said that Asian Cup win would be the perfect `recovery gift' for Jugraj Singh. "We want to gift him (Jugraj) the Asia Cup,'' echoed Gagan Ajit Singh, who accompanied his captain to a hockey clinic for school students, in Appu Ghar here.

"When on the turf he (Jugraj) is a fighter. We are just hoping that he would do the same on hospital bed and return to the field soon,'' said Gagan Ajit Singh.

Jugraj has been a key player in the Indian line-up for a past few years. He had a major share in India's good performance over last one-and-a-half years, which makes his injuries all the more serious for team's future prospects.

"Our penalty corner conversion rate has gone up to 70 to 80 per cent and it is all because of Jugraj,'' said Pillay. "Personally, it was very hard for me to know that such an accident, involving Jugraj, had occurred. His presence itself gives a big confidence to the morale of the team,'' Pillay added.

Saying that it would be nearly difficult to find replacement for Jugraj, Pillay said that India would have to depend on either Baljit Dhillon or the junior Sandeep Kumar. "But it is for the selectors and coach to decide who takes Jugraj's place,'' Pillay said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

Cricket

• South Africa benefits from umpire's largesse
• Sriram ready for another innings
• Mahmud, Rafique baffle Pakistan
• Vishnuvardhan stars in HCA's win
  
  Tennis
  
• Samrita puts out Sai
• Siddhartha ousts Prasenjit
  
  Hockey
  
• A big setback for India: Pillay
  
  Athletics
  
• Keen competition in store
  
  Badminton
  
• Gopi Chand bows out
  
  Billiards & Snooker
  
• Alok Kumar makes the grade
  
  Golf
  
• Mukesh, Ashok share lead
• India continues to stay in ninth spot
  
  Table Tennis
  
• Chinese Taipei, China take honours
  
  

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu