Its can be a challenge to fill in the shoes of the stalwart, PR Sreejesh who won two Olympic Bronze Medal, two silver in CWG, four Gold and One Silver in Asian Champions Trophy along with multiple medals.
An overview of the STALWART
Born in the small village of Kizhakkambalam to a farmer family, Sreejesh himself too would not have thought of becoming what he is today.
Fondly called the “Great Wall of India” PR Sreejesh is one of the very few Indian hockey stars who has become a household name in a cricket crazy nation.
His legendary skills were fully at display in the Paris olympics which also was to be his last olympics, where he single handedly stopped the Great Britain attack with a player short and then saving India in the penalty shoot out. The Wall saved 50 out of 62 shots faced at the Games 2024.
Countless iconic matches can be recalled where he single handedly turned the tide in India’s favour.
All good things come to an end.
The cruelty of sports is that at an age where most people start their careers in other professions, sportspersons end.
The stalwart who made his debut at 2006 South Asian Games ended his career on August 8, 2024 with 2 olympic medals, 3 Asian Games medal (Including 2 gold), 2 commonwealth silvers and countless saves to his name , thus handing the baton over to youngster Krishan Pathak from Kapurthala.
The Transition which was well planned
The Indian team and management played very smart in the transition phase, playing both Sreejesh and Pathak in every match played.
Indian Ex Coach Graham Reid is the person to whom the credit goes to device this idea for seamless transition from Sreejesh to Pathak.
Sreejesh worked with Pathak for the first time as a mentor in the 2016 Junior World Cup in Uttar Pradesh. Pathak became a disciple of the Guru since playing every match for India together sharing responsibilities quarter by quarter for 6 long years since 2018.
Coach Graham Reid started playing Sreejesh and Pathak in alternate quarters allowing Pathak to face the heat under the Able mentorship of PR Sreejesh. This tactic worked wonders for Pathak and India as he became a match for the stalwart
The Road Ahead
Travelling with the team as a reserve for the previous two olympics one thing that eludes Pathak is the Olympic medal. However big shoes it seems to be filled, Pathak seems to be on the right path.
Its now the time to come out of the shadow of the “Protector between the bars” and become the “GEN Z WALL OF INDIA”.
We hope next Games when he represents India as a goalie , he returns with the elusive Gold which has eluded the nation since 1980.
Written By Subhajit Sen
