Indian Express: PR Sreejesh–The Keeper of faith makes light of body blows

Once again it was PR Sreejesh who wrote India’s success story, and this time he was playing through pain.

Wrapped in bandages, PR Sreejesh took his usual position under the bar. His right thigh was covered with an ice-pack and the shoulder plastered with a surgical tape. The blood clot on his right thumb only added to his pain. Sreejesh was walking wounded, though it was masked in his goalkeeping kit and a smiling face. Yet, he was once again tasked with bailing out his scarred teammates. Like he has been doing match after match, tournament after tournament, for the last two years.

It’s a miracle how Sreejesh managed to take the field against Holland in the bronze medal playoff of the Hockey World League Finals in Raipur on Sunday night. The night before, his body was so sore that the goalkeeper could barely walk. The treatment went on late into the night but still Sreejesh had to take three pain killers just to start the game against the European champions.

But none of this would deter Sreejesh. Jovial that he is, he instead made light of his injuries. “Mummy jaisa lag raha hoon na ekdum (Don’t I look like Mummy?),” he joked, showing the wrappings around his body after the match. Not sure if the Dutch would have seen the funny side of it, though. Sreejesh would haunt them like a mummy, pulling off stunning saves in the penalty shootouts to defeat the world number two side and help India win its first-ever international medal in 33 years, excluding the continental tournaments and Commonwealth Games. It wasn’t the first time, however, that the 27-year-old shot-stopper stepped up his game when the team needed the most. Last year in Incheon, he pulled off similar saves against Pakistan to help India end its 16-year wait for Asian Games gold.
In football, they say goalscorers win you matches, but goalkepeers win you titles. It’s an observation that holds true in hockey as well, and Sreejesh is a testimony to it. It’s not a coincidence that India have won two of their biggest medals in recent times with Sreejesh in the goal. And there are some striking similarities in the way Sreejesh, who has a road named after him in Kerala, pulled off those miraculous saves in shootouts against Pakistan last year, and Holland on Sunday. On both occasions, he ensured he did not commit himself when the penalty-taker entered the ‘D’. Instead, Sreejesh stood his ground, blocked the attacker’s angles and forced him away from the goal. His balance, use of the stick and quick footwork were the key factors in both those wins in shootouts. “My idea is simple, just watch the ball; not what the attacker is doing. I follow the ball and try to ensure it does not go past me,” Sreejesh said, adding modestly, “When our strikers score, that gives me confidence. I use that to keep out the opponents. I depend on them.”

He may credit the strikers. But the extent to which India relies on him can be made out by the fact that chief coach Roelant Oltmans did not mind starting even a half-fit Sreejesh in the semifinal against Belgium and on Sunday against Holland.

The uniqueness of India’s performances in most matches in Raipur was that there was not one standout outfield player. It was a complete team performance with occasional flashes of individual brilliance. But in most of those matches, credit will go to Sreejesh for having kept India in the match.

Understudy to main man

From being an understudy to Bharat Chetri during the London Olympics in 2012, the goalkeeper has gone on to become the most important player of the team. Without him, India could not have won the Asian Games — thus the 2016 Olympic qualification — and also the bronze at the Hockey World League Finals in Raipur. “His contribution along with Sardar has been great in this tournament,” Oltmans admitted on Sunday.

Oltmans generally isn’t one to single out a player’s performance. But it is tough not to highlight Sreejesh’s contribution to the team. The desperation to play Sreejesh also stems from the fact that there are no decent alternates available. It’s tough to judge Harjot Singh, the team’s second-choice goalkeeper, as he has not been given enough playing time, with Oltmans choosing to start with Sreejesh.

Sreejesh’s duties extend much beyond just saving shots taken by the opponents. The authority with which he controls and organises the defence is one of the factors why the backline has looked relatively better in the last few months. “Communication is the key and Sreejesh is very good at it. He is loud, can read the game well and has the respect of others in the team,” says defender VR Raghunath. “Even when he is pointing out something negative, he will give a positive spin to it so that the person does not feel demotivated.”

He can also be harsh at times, especially on himself. At the sound of the final hooter, as most Indian players slumped to the ground having lost the two-goal advantage against Holland, Sreejesh rushed to the changing room, probably for a quick bathroom break. The goalkeeper looked distraught having allowed five goals, the smile on his face replaced with a frown.

A couple of minutes later, he re-emerged on the field, talking to himself, put his helmet on and headed straight towards the goal without really interacting much with the rest. He was visibly upset with himself but looked determined to make amends in the penalty shootout. And he did.

Then, just like he did in Incheon, Sreejesh broke into a jig. The smile was back on his face. Later, Oltmans and Sardar spoke cautiously about learning from mistakes and preparing for the Rio Games. But you could bank on Sreejesh to be honest with his reply. “Tonight we will celebrate. That’s the first thing we will do,” he said, looking at Sardar and Oltmans.

The pain was forgotten. The party would begin.