Star India males’s hockey workforce goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has achieved nearly all the pieces in his 17-year-long illustrious profession, aside from a World Cup medal and he desires to fulfil his “dream” this time within the ongoing showpiece at residence.
The 34-year-old Sreejesh had performed a serious function in India’s historic bronze win within the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the workforce is hoping to complete on the rostrum within the ongoing World Cup in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela after a hiatus 48 years.
India had gained their maiden World Cup medal, a gold, within the 1975 version in Kuala Lumpur.
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“That (World Cup medal) is the one medal which is lacking in my cupboard. The Indian workforce is working arduous to complete on the rostrum and that’s my dream,” Sreejesh instructed PTI.
“If we try this, I can even say that I’ve a medal from the Olympics in addition to from the World Cup.”
Sreejesh, who has performed 226 senior worldwide matches since making his debut in 2006, has gained medals in all prestigious tournaments, aside from World Cup.
He was a part of the gold and bronze-winning Asian Video games groups in 2014 and 2018, the Commonwealth Video games silver-winning groups in 2014 and 2022, Champions Trophy silver-clinching groups in 2016 and 2018. He gained gold in Asian Champions Trophy in 2011, 2016 and 2018. He’s additionally a three-time Olympian and is at the moment taking part in in his fourth World Cup.
A number of the members of the Tokyo Olympics bronze-winning workforce like Birendra Lakra and Rupinder Pal Singh have retired since then.
Speaking about them, Sreejesh mentioned, “Each Olympic cycle, coaches attempt to change a number of gamers as a result of they (coaches) plan for the following 4 years. That’s going to be extra essential, so that’s the reason there was a number of modifications in our workforce as properly.
“Lots of kids have changed senior gamers. So, they may get a number of expertise and be prepared to provide their greatest for the nation on the finish of this (Olympic) cycle,” mentioned the shot-stopper from Kerala.
Sreejesh agreed with present Indian workforce goalkeeping coach Dennis van de Pol, who had mentioned that younger Krishan Pathak has matured sufficient and is able to substitute the veteran custodian when he decides to name time on his wonderful profession.
“Pathak has been with the nationwide workforce since 2016 when he performed the Junior World Cup and he joined the senior workforce in 2017. He was with me for the 2018 World Cup and 2018 Asian Video games. He has acquired sufficient expertise to play for the workforce now.
“Positively, if you end up the senior-most, you might want to look again and take into consideration who can substitute you and who can play higher for the nation as a result of being within the Indian hockey workforce shouldn’t be a everlasting job for anyone,” he mentioned.
“Some day you might want to step out and somebody will take your home and I believe with expertise and the best way he’s taking part in he (Pathak) is able to carry out for the nation.”
Sreejesh felt pleased that the world physique, FIH, is anxious concerning the security of gamers and was considering of giving extra response time to penalty nook defenders however doesn’t not see any motive to alter guidelines on this regard.
The FIH is doing a examine on tweaking penalty nook hit guidelines to supply extra security to defending gamers because the high-speed ball travels in a crowded space.
Requested about this, Sreejesh mentioned, “In any sport, the security of gamers comes first. I’m pleased that the FIH is anxious concerning the security of the gamers. However the factor is that we should always not change something in penalty corners as a result of the PC is without doubt one of the most stunning issues in hockey and it offers pleasure to the sport.
“Positively, the best way out may very well be higher high quality of apparatus and higher use of them can stop accidents.”
The present Indian workforce has carried out very properly in defending penalty corners because it has not conceded a aim from set items within the two matches it has performed up to now on this World Cup.
However Sreejesh refused to match gamers of various generations and mentioned the present lot is the perfect on this side of the sport.
“Each era has its greatest PC defenders and also you noticed our present gamers doing rather well in defending PCs. So, when the system or the know-how improves, that helps in methods to defend penalty corners. With expertise additionally, we will defend penalty corners,” he mentioned.
“Within the match in opposition to England, Manpreet Singh was the primary rusher and he’s now not a teenager. Amit Rohidas can be an excellent first rusher. However you can not examine gamers of various generations, be it PC takers or PC defenders.”
He mentioned in hockey, simply as scoring from penalty corners is essential, defending set items can be equally essential.
“Each workforce spends a number of time on methods to defend penalty corners. The result’s that we’re doing very properly in PC defence.
“Penalty nook takers are additionally superb, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar and Amit Rohidas. So it’s an inspiration for the PC defenders to additionally do properly. Coach Graham Reid is working arduous on PC defending and technically once we are watching opponent groups, we all know who’s their greatest drag-flicker and we attempt to ship out our greatest defenders,” Sreejesh concluded.
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