PR Sreejesh : The hockey legend who stood tall in cricket-mad India

The second India won a metal medal in sports at Paris Olympics, the people burst into wild activities.

But PR Sreejesh, who had lived there for almost 20 years, slowly walked to the other end of the field and bowed lower in front of the ball.

He may miss that house, but India did miss him yet more. The keeper, who played his final global suit on Thursday, leaves an illustrious reputation behind him.

The” Wall of India”, as he is popularly known, played a vital role in India’s podium finish. His crew were level on 2-1, and Sreejesh’s group were exerting pressure to equalize, but Sreejesh thwarted their attempts, especially in the match’s final minutes.

His instincts and courteous dives were on full screen. The Spaniards earned nine charges corners, but they were unable to turn any, to demonstrate his impact on the sport. In order to maintain their prospect until the close, Shrieejesh and his defense team put their lives on the line.

The original Indian commander is also credited with putting India in argument for a prize. The Wall had to defend his staff in the sentence fight against Great Britain, and he did that twice with two brilliant saves.

He was overcome with sadness after India lost to Germany in the semi-final because he knew the obscure silver medal was far away. However, he immediately turned his focus to the bronze medal match. On Thursday, he was crying repeatedly– but this time in happiness.

Indians shared his grief with him, and tributes to the man who had fueled the nation’s hopes and dreams for almost 20 years were flooding social media.

Cricket players from other sports frequently do not receive the same interest, renown, or money as those who play in India. And for a hockey keeper, it’s also harder to get acknowledged.

” It’s difficult to love a keeper. He is visible, and is only in the fame when he makes a blunder. When I was young, I did n’t know who India’s goalkeeper was then”, he told the Indian Express in 2021.

Sreejesh was not a celebrity or seeker; he just wanted to get on with his job. Despite a bitter-sweet debut, this approach kept him going.

With his quick judgment and ability to predict a ball’s path in a matter of seconds, he now had a name for himself in the young loop.

However, his South Asian Games senior group comeback in 2006 was n’t exactly successful. He did well in the competition, but his essential save against Pakistan, India’s archrival, was lost. He had to go through a steep learning curve as a result of the condemnation.

He did n’t have a permanent spot on the team, so his subsequent years were difficult. During this time, Indian hockey even experienced a bad situation, with the team actually losing to Beijing in 2008 in the process.

However, Sreejesh continued to work tight on his abilities, and in 2011 he experienced his time of redemption. Pakistan was once more the winning team in the Champions Trophy last.

He made two critical charges saves to win the game for India and appeared much more confident.

Soon after the suit, Sreejesh was suddenly in the limelight. India ended their battle without a prize after he and the crew traveled to the 2012 London Olympics.

Despite the group’s dreadful performance, the steward of the American ball continued to perform properly. In the 2014 Asian Games last, he faced Pakistan once more for the first time. To finish India’s 16-year Olympic gold medal drought, he saved two sanctions.

But the 2015 Hockey World League match between Holland and him that best captures his figure, tenacity, and determination, must be the one.

His finger was nearly broken, his make was covered in protecting medical tape, and he had severe injuries that covered his thighs with ice packs. The match was so far away that he could n’t even walk.

As he took his place at the ball, he joked that he looked like a mother. However, after more than three decades, there was a resolve to get a medal for India at a significant global competition. His magnificent penalties-shooting saves helped India defeat a stronger team in the penalty shootout.

His legacy as an Indian sports legend has now been reinforced. Shortly afterward, he was asked to lead the Rio 2016 Olympic group. They did n’t win a prize but reached the quarter-final- bettering their achievement from London.

But he never permit success take over, remaining modest and friendly, and leading a life without the luxuries that are typically associated with sports stars. He was so bitter with both his colleagues and the Indians as a whole.

An wound in 2017 threatened to end his career. Defying all conflict, he made a comeback after two therapies and some months of treatment.

However, his performance stalled, and critics claimed that his famous reflexes had waned. His place was also being claimed by younger goalkeepers. But he continued to work hard and stayed away from the sound.

He was once more prepared to end a 41-year rush for an Olympic soccer prize. With his thorough understanding of the game, he helped India get a brass prize at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He was generally a result of his upbringing, which he generally contributed to throughout his career.

In India, in the state of Kerala, Sreejesh was born into a gardening home.

He little. He then chose goalkeeping because it did n’t require a lot of running after trying out other sports and different playing positions in hockey.

He performed well at the state stage and was invited to Delhi’s 2003 federal investigations.

After traveling by train for more than 48 hours, the 15-year-old arrived in the American money. He spoke much Hindi, which is the primary speech of the camp’s participants.

He accepted the challenge and picked up some of the language’s colorful words, which were frequently heard during uncomfortable matches in the later years while he stayed with generally Hindi-speaking boys in the hostel.

He was chosen for the group, but he was lacking in protective gear. His father then sold his cow to raise 10, 000 rupees ($ 119, £93 ) to pay for the kit.

When his father was surrounded by hundreds of individuals in his home on Thursday to see his brother get yet another medal for India in his final game, life came full group.

For Sreejesh, his two children will now become his priority, along with his new role as the head coach of the Indian junior hockey team.

“It’s time for my kids to start their journey and I’m done, and their life starts,” he told Olympics.com.

When asked about his legacy, he prefers not to talk about his achievements.

“I want people to remember me as a good person who always had a smiling face,” the Hindustan Times quoted him.

” And for the kids and kids, when they pad up and step onto the hockey field, they should think that I want to be a keeper like Sreejesh.”