IHF should come clean on Pillay

Dhanraj Pillay was a forlorn figure in the visitors'' lounge at the Capital''s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday, waiting for the return of the Asia Cup-winning junior hockey team from Karachi. But he was not alone for long.
Within few minutes a small crowd, comprising of CRPF guards from various gates and some visitors, gathered around him, seeking autographs and his opinion on the Indian team''s recent performances.
And when the team came out of the visitors'' lounge a good two hours later, the junior stars vied among themselves to get clicked alongwith Indian hockey''s biggest star.
Pillay''s involvement with the junior team was not limited to felicitating them on their Karachi triumph. He had a few sessions with the players at the pre-Asia Cup camp in Mumbai. And when Pakistan were trying hard to come back in the final, having pulled back two goals from being 0-3 down, it was Pillay''s suggestion on phone to coach Harender Singh that helped the Indians buck the trend and clinch the issue. "During that 20-minute period in the second half, Dhanraj was talking to me, telling me that the boys can do it. He suggested that I should introduce a player in the midfield and open up the right side. We did just that and managed to score another goal and that settled the issue," Harender told TNN.
This story raises one question: If Pillay can contribute from so far away because of his reading of the game, why is he not in the Indian team.
He has ruled himself fit after the injury he suffered in the Azlan Shah Cup and has reportedly submitted a certificate from renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Anant Joshi. But he still was not in the team for the Madrid Olympic qualifiers and the four-nation twin-leg event in Australia.
And as Indian hockey stands on the brink, confused and rattled, there is a debate going on regarding Pillay''s utility to the team. The question foremost in many minds is whether the Indian Hockey Federation actually wants the 35-year-old star in the team for an important event like the Olympics? And can he contribute to the team''s cause?
Former India captain Md Shahid thinks he can. "He is a world class forward even at this age. Obviously age has slowed him down but I still believe he can make a difference with his experience and ability to read the game. The question uppermost in this regard should be whether he is fully fit to play at the highest level. If yes, then he should be in the team."
Mukesh Kumar and A.B Subbaiah, two players who were Pillay''s mates in many an Indian triumph, and former captains Pargat Singh and Jafar Iqbal agree. Mukesh says: "I had played with him in the Bombay Gold Cup in November and he looked supremely fit and I''m sure he can prove his fitness. I believe that should be the criteria for selection."
With Pillay declaring himself fit and ready to prove it in the field, the ball is in IHF''s half. The federation and coach Rajinder Singh need to break their silence on the issue lest rumours will soon start acquiring more concrete shapes.