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In a stirring tale, Dhanraj Pillay not only staged a comeback but also won the player of the tournament award in the 2002 Champions Trophy in Cologne, Germany. And what’s more, he played the
two Olympic Games that followed the Asian Games in Sydney and Athens taking his tally of Olympic Games to four. Add four World Cup tournaments and as many Champions Trophy tournaments, his
CV will make for most impressive reading. Small wonder then that clubs from around the world sought his services. Over the decade-and-a-half that he played for India, he transitioned from
newcomer in 1989 to senior statesman at the time of his farewell game in India colours, picking up nuances from his seniors to sharing his insights into the game with his peers and juniors.
Yet, as his luck would have it, nothing, not even his brilliance, arrested the team’s slide on the global stage.