New Delhi: Even as the bring-back-Dhanraj-Pillay campaign gathers steam, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Friday indicated that the veteran might be included in the fitness camp at Barog, Himachal Pradesh.

“The IHF president (K. P. S. Gill) has made it clear that any player who has performed in recent tournaments could be included in the Barog camp and in future camps before the Athens Olympics,” federation secretary K. Jothikumaran said over phone from Chennai.

“We have kept the door open for three to four players to join the Barog camp,” he said in an apparent reference to three omitted senior players — Pillay, forward Baljit Singh Dhillon and defender Baljit Singh Saini.

Jothikumaran said the IHF might not include all the members of the “experimental” team in the fitness camp.

“We never said that we will take all of them. We may replace them with others. So anyone can get into the camp,” he said, avoiding a direct response on whether the trio could be included in the camp.

Meanwhile, ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble on Friday jumped to the defence of the veteran striker and vouched for his return. “Every sport requires a star; Dhanraj is the star of Indian hockey,” Kumble said.

Jugraj to join camp

A totally fit Jugraj Singh, the ace penalty-corner specialist, will attend the Barog fitness camp later this month, adds a report from Jalandhar.

“I am totally fit and now I have to prove myself on the ground,” Jugraj said on Friday.

With Jugraj’s inclusion, the Barog camp will now have 13 players.

Jugraj said he got a call from IHF general secretary K. Jothikumaran, who asked him to join the camp beginning on May 13.

“I got a call from Jothikumaran on Thursday, who instructed me to join the fitness camp,” he said.

The Punjab Police player also expressed confidence that he would soon make his comeback to the Indian team ahead of the Athens Olympics in august.