June 2: Dhanraj Pillay, skipper of the Bombay hockey team that finished fourth in the recently concluded National Championships at Bangalore will not be taking part in the National Games tournament in the same city.Pillay's departure coincides with the advent of another Olympian -- Gavin Ferreira -- back home from the French League and on his way to Bangalore to assist the Maharashtra squad for the Games.

Pillay, who is currently in Pune, in a telephonic chat with Express Newsline said that illness and not league commitments in Bangladesh has compelled him to opt out of the Maharashtra squad for the Games' hockey championship which gets under way on June 4 at the Garden City's KSHA Stadium, the venue of the recently-concluded Nationals in which Bombay finished fourth.Pillay explained: ``As a matter of fact I was unable to put in my best in the quarter-final match against Services and the semi-final against Tamil Nadu in the Nationals.

``I know I disappointed the crowd who looked forward to see Dhanraj perform and I know I wouldn't be able to give 100 per cent now. I don't wish to cause further unhappiness to the crowd,'' India's world-renowned spearhead revealed.

Another player out of the National Games is Meghraj Murthy (RCF), a hardworking forward in fine form this season. But Pillay is unperturbed about the changes in the Maharashtra squad which, he believes, should reach the final.

``We have a very experienced team and the inclusion of Air-India's Devinder Kumar and Surinder Singh.

Of course, Gavin is back and he will certainly strengthen the squad.'' However, Pillay looked back rather remorsely to Bombay's campaign, especially in the knock-out stage of the tournament.

The 29-year-old Mahindras' stalwart says: ``The quarter-final shift of venue because of the under-watered surface told on our performance against Tamil Nadu in the semis.'' We took the KSHA pitch at 11.00 a.m. and moved to the SAI complex at 3.00 p.m.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.