3 players who can replace PR Sreejesh as India’s goalkeeper ft. Krishan Pathak
When India's hockey team took home a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the players went into crazy celebration mode but goalkeeper PR Sreejesh silently moved to one end of the pitch and knelt down in front of the goalpost, which had been his residence for nearly 20 years. India will miss him more than he will, but he will miss that home. The goalie, who retired from international competition on Thursday, leaves a distinguished career in his wake.
The “Wall of India”, as he is popularly known in the circuit, Sreejesh, has truly been a gem for the whole of India and not just for the hockey team. He was rightly India's co-flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the Paris Games.
He is certainly irreplaceable but since he has retired, India has to look forward to further options. Let's take a look at a few options India can look at to fill in the void left by Sreejesh.
#1 Suraj Karkera
Indian field hockey player Suraj Karkera was born on October 14, 1995, and plays as a goalkeeper. He did his schooling at Children's Academy in Malad and is pursuing a degree in commerce from the Rizvi College, as of 2017.
Karkera was part of the Indian junior squad regularly for multiple tours after making his debut in 2015. The following year, he debuted with the senior team, and in the 2017 Asia Cup, he was a member of the Indian side that won the gold medal.
When his side won the bronze medal at the 2021 Asian Champions Trophy, he was voted the tournament's best goalkeeper of the year. He can very well fill in the boots of PR Sreejesh but might need some time.
#2 Mohith HS
Indian junior men's hockey goalie Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar is used to working under pressure and can be a good option to fill in for PR Sreejesh.
The Karnataka player competed in the state volleyball championship as a young player. There, he caught the attention of a hockey coach who was searching for a goalkeeper. From then on, the focus was solely on moving up through the various age groups and achieving the ultimate objective of representing his nation abroad.
In the Johor Cup final, Mohith made a lasting impression by remaining composed in a penalty shootout against Australia. The outcome: Mohith kept Joshua Brooks from tying the score, and India won the championship for the first time since 2014. The 21-year-old is known for his calm and composed demeanour in clutch situations.
#3 Krishan Pathak
Krishan Bahadur Pathak is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Indian national team. He is the most likely choice to replace PR Sreejesh.
Pathak competed for India in the Men's Hockey Junior World Cup, which they won in Lucknow in 2016. After that, he was chosen for the 2017 Men's Australian Hockey League India A team.
In January 2018, he made his debut for the India senior team during a four-team invitational tournament held in New Zealand. Pathak was included in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup roster for 2018 because Sreejesh, India's first-choice goalkeeper, was rested.
Subsequently, he participated as a backup goalie in both India's silver medal-winning Men's Hockey Champions Trophy and bronze-winning Asian Games teams.
At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, when India earned the bronze medal, Pathak served as the backup goalkeeper. At last, he took home a gold medal from the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. On January 9, 2024, the President of India awarded Pathak the Arjuna Award.