FORGET astroturf, you won’t even bump into a decent hockey ground in Kerala. And if you accidentally pursued the game, chances are that you would end up ruing all those wasted time. But goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, only the third international from the State, embraced the sport with unbridled enthusiasm.

Not only he bestrided the countless hurdles that confronted him, but also proved his mettle to earn 14 senior caps.

But not before trying his hand in athletics and volleyball. Incidentally, he earned his admission to the GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram by virtue of his credentials in shot put. However, driven by boredom he shifted to volleyball. But as destiny had it, one day he was asked to strap the pads in a district-school tournament, as the regular goalkeeper was injured.

From that point he developed a passion for the game.

Despite proper mentoring, he picked up the basics of goalkeeping by reading hockey manuals and watching the sport on television. He never missed an opportunity to learn further about the game. Every piece of advice, from senior players during State camps, was grasped with alacrity . But it was not until he was picked in the national junior camp in 2003 that he decided to take the sport as a profession. “That was my hour of reckoning. I realised that I am good enough to play for the nation and belonged to the league,” he reflected.

Making his junior debut for India in the Australian series in Perth (2004), Sreejesh soon cemented his place in the squad. The same year, he earned a senior cap in the India-France Test series. But his unforgettable moment came a year later when he countered the rampaging Pakistanis in the final of a junior four-nation series in Pakistan (2005).

Though India lost the match 2-3, Sreejesh was applauded for his bravado. “It was easily the best match I had played. The Pakistanis were literally storming the D and I had to make a save almost every minute,” recollected the IOB player.

Occasionally , he played in the senior team, like in the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. However, the presence of two quality goalkeepers in Baljit Singh and Adrian D’Souza (his idol) meant that he had to bide his time.

Only 20, Sreejesh hopes to polish his skills and help the junior side win more tournaments. “I have to improve a lot if I have to match them. Both (Baljit and Adrian) have helped me a lot in national camps.

Hopefully , I can one day fill in their shoes,” said Sreejesh.