Star hockey player Jugraj Singh may not be able to get back on the field as early as a few officials had been predicting. But the doctor attending on him at a city hospital in New Delhi did have some positive news.

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"Since he came here, we have been able to make him sit on the bed," said Dr Laljie Kent of the Batra Hospital where Jugraj was shifted on Sunday from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana.

Jugraj was initially admitted to the Ludhiana hospital where he was operated upon after sustaining multiple fractures in a horrific car crash last month. Plans are afoot to take him to a hospital in the United States or Australia, once he begins to walk with crutches, for faster rehabilitation.

That, however, is at least "six-seven weeks" away, Dr Kent said.

"The next step is to try and make him sit in a chair, and possibly in the next six-seven weeks to make him stand [with support]," he said.

Dr Kent's comments on the player's recovery process differs from what K P S Gill, president of the Indian Hockey Federation, had to say.

"He [Jugraj] has to play in the Olympics [next August in Athens]. He has got the will power to do that. In my opinion, he should be back on the field in two-three months," Gill had said when the Indian team, returning from its Asia Cup triumph in Kuala Lumpur, met their injured teammate on Tuesday.

Asked when Jugraj would be able to return to competitive play, Dr Kent said, "We cannot fix a date at this time, but we are very optimistic about a quick recovery."