NEW DELHI, Sept 30: India’s injured hockey star Jugraj Singh broke down on Tuesday when the entire national team visited him in hospital to show the Asia Cup they won over the weekend.

Captain Dhanraj Pillay led his players to the local Batra hospital here where Jugraj is recovering from multiple injuries suffered in a car crash earlier this month.

The players garlanded Jugraj with the gold medals they received on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur after defeating old foes Pakistan 4-2 in the final.

“This medal is for you, you can keep it,” Pillay told the 21-year-old penalty-corner specialist who is expected to be out of action for at least a year.

Reduced to tears, Jugraj returned the medals and presented each member of a team with a souvenir as family members and hospital staff looked on.

“I am touched by their gesture to come and visit me,” he said. “I prayed for the team’s success and spoke to them on the phone almost every day.

“They had promised to come back with the Cup and they did. I can’t ask for more. I hope they continue winning.”

Pillay said the team had dedicated the Asia Cup triumph to the young star.

“Jugraj was in our minds when we went out there for the final. His absence inspired us to win it for him.”

Pillay revealed that many Pakistani players, who had played against Jugraj at the Champions Trophy in the Netherlands in August, enquired about his health.

“They were as concerned as we were,” he said. “Some like Sohail Abbas and coach Tahir Zaman asked me to pass on their best wishes to Jugraj.”

The Asia Cup win, India’s first major title since the Asian Games gold medal triumph in 1998, ensured them a place in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

But the eight-time Olympic champions are still not assured of a place in the Athens Games next year. They must finish among the top seven at the qualifying tournament in Madrid, Spain next March to make the trip.—AFP