Hockey India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh feels his chequered international career resembles Malayali staple ‘Avial’ — a mixed curry of assorted vegetables. At 34 and in the twilight zone, all that is left for Sreejesh is to tick a couple of boxes in a career that has seen numerous ups and a few downs.
A second Olympic medal wrapped around his neck with the gigantic Eiffel Tower looming over him is an ultimate dream but for now, he wants to be that safe ‘check-post’ in what will be his third and last Commonwealth Games. “My life was always not the same. It was full of ups and downs. I had some good matches as well as some real bad outings. I had a bad start to my career, then gradually, I have risen up the ranks to become India’s No.1 keeper,” Sreejesh said.
“From witnessing the low of 2012 London Olympics to winning bronze in Tokyo, in between I captained the national team and then in 2018, my career was almost over due to an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury. In Kerala, we have a famous dish called ‘avial’. It’s a 13-vegetable curry. I can relate my career to avial.” At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Sreejesh starred in Indian’s gold medal win, when he saved two attempts in a shoot-out against Pakistan in the final. At the 2014 and 2018 Champions Trophy, he was adjudged ‘Goalkeeper of the Tournament’. At this stage of his career, Sreejesh prefers short targets.
“As a youngster, I always used to plan for four years. Now, I prefer short-term goals. Now my priority is CWG, then my next step is World Cup for sure.” So he basically plans to carry on till the Paris Olympics? “Paris is feasible. But that road is not going to be easy,” the goalkeeper said