The hockey legend who stood tall in cricket-mad India

The second India gained a bronze medal in hockey at Paris Olympics, the gamers burst into wild celebrations.

However PR Sreejesh quietly walked to at least one finish of the sector and bowed down in entrance of the goalpost – his dwelling for nearly twenty years.

He’ll miss that dwelling, however India will miss him much more. The goalkeeper, who performed his final worldwide match on Thursday, leaves an illustrious legacy behind him.

The “Wall of India”, as he’s popularly identified, performed an important function in India’s podium end. His staff have been up 2-1 and Spain have been preventing laborious for an equaliser however Sreejesh thwarted their makes an attempt, particularly within the dying minutes of the match.

The instincts and the tactful dives he’s identified for have been on full show. His impression on the sport might be understood from the truth that the Spaniards earned 9 penalty corners, however couldn’t convert any. Sreejesh and his defence staff put their our bodies on the road to guard their lead till the top.

The previous Indian captain can be credited with bringing India into rivalry for a medal. The knock-out match towards Nice Britain went right into a penalty shootout and as soon as once more it was right down to the Wall to guard his staff – he did precisely that with two masterful saves.

He was in tears after India misplaced the semi-final to Germany as he knew the elusive gold medal was out of his grasp, however he shortly turned his consideration to the bronze medal match. On Thursday, he was crying once more – however this time in pleasure.

Indians cried with him and social media was flooded with tributes to the person who carried the nation’s hopes and desires for almost twenty years.

India is thought to be cricket loopy and gamers from different sports activities typically don’t get the identical consideration, fame or cash. And for a hockey goalkeeper, it’s even more durable to be acknowledged.

“It’s tough to like a goalkeeper. He’s invisible, and is barely within the limelight when he makes a blunder. After I was younger, I didn’t know who India’s goalkeeper was then,” he informed the Indian Categorical in 2021.

Sreejesh by no means chased consideration or stardom; he simply appreciated to get on with the job. It was this angle that saved him going regardless of a bitter-sweet debut.

He had already made waves within the junior circuit together with his fast reflexes and talent to guage a ball’s trajectory in nano seconds.

However his debut within the senior staff in 2006 on the South Asian Video games didn’t go that nicely. He carried out nicely within the event however missed an important save within the closing towards India’s arch-rival Pakistan. The criticism that adopted was a steep studying curve for him.

The subsequent few years have been powerful as he didn’t get a everlasting place within the staff. Indian hockey additionally went by way of a nasty section throughout this era, with the staff failing to even qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

However Sreejesh continued to work laborious on his abilities and his second of redemption got here in 2011. It was the ultimate of the Champions Trophy and Pakistan was as soon as once more the opposing facet.

He appeared way more confident and made two essential penalty saves to win the sport for India.

Sreejesh was thrust into the limelight instantly after the match. He travelled with the staff to the London Olympics in 2012 however India ended their marketing campaign and not using a medal.

Regardless of the staff’s dismal efficiency, the custodian of the Indian goalpost continued to carry out nicely. His subsequent shining second got here when he was once more confronted with Pakistan within the 2014 Asian Video games closing. He saved two penalties to finish India’s 16-year gold medal drought on the Video games.

But when there may be one second that sums up his character, grit and willpower, it must be the bronze medal match towards Holland within the Hockey World League in 2015.

He was badly injured, his thighs have been lined in ice packs, his thumb was near damaged and his shoulder was lined in protecting surgical tapes. He may barely stroll the evening earlier than the match.

He joked that he appeared like a mummy as he took his place on the goalpost. However behind all of the ache and the humour was a resolve to win a medal for India in a significant worldwide event after greater than three a long time. His gorgeous saves within the penalty shootout helped India win the match towards a superior staff.

His place as a legend in Indian hockey was now cemented. He was quickly requested to guide the staff on the Rio Olympics. They didn’t win a medal however reached the quarter-final – bettering their efficiency from London.

However he by no means let success get to his head, remaining humble and approachable and dwelling his life with out the trimmings of glamour often related to sport stars. This endeared him to his teammates and in addition Indians at massive.

An harm in 2017 threatened to finish his profession. Defying all odds, he made a comeback after two surgical procedures and several other months of rehabilitation.

However his efficiency took time to peak and critics stated his famed reflexes had slowed down. Youthful goalkeepers have been additionally making a declare for his spot. However he stayed away from the noise and continued to work laborious.

He was as soon as once more prepared to finish one other drought – a 41-year watch for a hockey medal on the Olympics. He helped India win a bronze medal on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics together with his astute understanding of the sport.

He was in a position to experience by way of many storms in his profession largely as a result of his upbringing.

Sreejesh was born right into a farming household within the southern state of Kerala.

He liked sports activities however didn’t take pleasure in operating as a lot. So after attempting out different sports activities and totally different taking part in positions in hockey, he selected goalkeeping because it didn’t contain a lot operating.

He did nicely on the state degree and was referred to as for the nationwide trials in Delhi in 2003.

The 15-year-old arrived within the Indian capital after a prepare journey of greater than 48 hours. He spoke little Hindi – the language spoken by most gamers on the camp.

Staying with largely Hindi-speaking boys within the hostel, he embraced the problem and learnt the language – together with some fairly vibrant phrases that have been typically heard throughout tense matches in later years.

He was chosen for the staff however did not have an excellent package to guard himself. His father then bought his cow to lift 10,000 rupees ($119; £93) to pay for the package.

Life got here full circle on Thursday when his father was surrounded by a whole lot of individuals in his home to observe his son win one more accolade for India in his final match.

For Sreejesh, his two kids will now develop into his precedence, alongside together with his new role as the pinnacle coach of the Indian junior hockey staff.

“It is time for my children to start out their journey and I am accomplished, and their life begins,” he told Olympics.com.

When requested about his legacy, he prefers to not speak about his achievements.

“I would like folks to recollect me as an excellent one who all the time had a smiling face,” the Hindustan Occasions quoted him.

“And for the children and youngsters, once they pad up and step on to the hockey area, they need to really feel I wish to develop into a keeper like Sreejesh.”