Dhanraj Pillay has been advised by the Indian Hockey Federation to tactically announce withdrawal from the Olympics Qualifier team on his own once it was decided to leave him out. Once his name was struck out from the list on the advice of coaches Rajinder and Baldev Singh, it was learnt that the manager-designate Krishanamurthy was sent to talk to Dhanraj to convince him on his tactical withdrawal, which Dhanraj reluctantly accepted. Even as Dhanraj was leaving after receiving a memento from the IHF president to mark his Republic day participation, even as the whole camera crew were focussing on selectors’ side, Krishnamurthy engaged Dhanraj on the other side of the turf and got his consent.
Though it lent some sort of decency to an otherwise murky affair, Dhanraj made it clear to mediamen later in the day that he is fit and all that’s going on inside the team is not well. It appears Dhanraj did not press for his inclusion severely as he was alive to the fact that for that he had to fight coaches on one hand and a section of players on the other. Instead he said tersely that the media should write ‘What’s the problem Dhanraj is facing’.
Coach Rajinder Singh took a convenient stand –though not many would buy it — that it’s an affair between the IHF and Dhanraj. He is neither so innocent nor so uninvolved in the team selection as he wants us to believe. Despite all the bad name the IHF got for sacking coach mid way through a tournament, watchers will vouch safe that exceptions apart the IHF president Gill gives full hand for coaches to select their team. And he lends full ears to Rajinder. Let us have no doubts about it. Ever since three injured players made it to the Utrecht World Cup, Gill has been particular about the fitness of players. Insiders know the only sure way to get rid of a player is to cast aspersions on his fitness.
Rajinder’s failure to keep the team interests above peripheral things (like ego, eagerness to assert his authority and downsizing senior players syndrome) is becoming clearer as each day passes by. It seems he is in a tearing hurry to own up all the credit for the successes that Indian hockey witnessed in the recent past. None would like to dilute his role in activating the team after the KL World Cup fiasco. But this is not a way to prepare team for stern tasks ahead such as Olympic Qualifier and Olympics proper.
Dhanraj and Indian hockey are synonymous. People identify the game of hockey with Dhanraj. He is the mascot of Indian hockey. He is the face of Indian hockey. He is not just a hype as coaches want us to believe. It’s Dhanraj’s superlative game in 2002 Champions Trophy that set up hockey’s resurrection phase that we all witness today. Dhanraj is epitome of hard work. He achieved everything on the merit of his game. Because of his 15 years of service to hockey, the nation sees him as its hero, the living legend. He is not just a play maker in the team, but an image maker of hockey too.
Hockey has certainly occupies second slot in popularity charts. Sole credit for this goes to Dhanraj. If image of hockey has to improve, Dhanraj has to be treated properly by the coaches and the Federation. Talk to any common man on OQ team crisis, no one point fault with Dhanraj. Other view is hard to come by even as an exception. Hockey’s image suffered severely with the result of his omission.
If one or two players sulk of Dhanraj’s media focus, it’s the duty of the management and coaches to see that such things do not go out of hand and affect the team unity. If one player can abuse the other, no one benefits. Neither the team nor the game of hockey. It’s a duty of coaches to ensure respect for all players inside the team. Rajinder may be reminded of the fact that he can bring success to hockey even without Dhanraj, but if the image of hockey has to sustain and improve as a mass a sport the people should take a pride in the team. Just medals won’t do that. People see a game through the prism players. Today’s Indian hockey is seen as Dhanraj’s game. If someone insults him, it’s an insult to hockey itself. If the adminos, coaches or players think they have won against Dhanraj, they should know their `success’ is failure of Indian hockey. Dhanraj is a legend, treat him as such. In this lies the future of Indian hockey.