EXCLUSIVE | What I am today, is all because of team - PR Sreejesh after reaching milestone 300 appearances

Having represented India in 300 international Hockey games, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh heads into an all-important 301st match, where India take on Malaysia in the finals of the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy(ACT) 2023. With the final scheduled for Saturday, August 12, the game will be India's chance to bag their fourth title, whereas it is the maiden ACT final for the Malaysian side. India earlier beat Malaysia 5-0 in the league game and will look for a repeat of the performance.

Sreejesh on milestone appearance

"During the game, I get to guide and remind our players about the strategy (defensive or attacking) and keep them positive. Sacrifice, discipline, focus, passion, and hard work have been behind success,” Sreejesh said in an exclusive conversation with WION’s Sidharth MP in Chennai.

Talking about his achievements thus far,he urges young players to maintain composure and not let highs or lows get to their heads and affect their game.Sreejesh also sees great potential in the young goalkeeping talent that India is honing.

The Malaysian and Indian sides are heading into the final, riding high on their thumping wins from Friday evening. Malaysia had defeated Korea 6-2, while India trounced Japan 5-0. Interestingly, Team India has remained undefeated throughout this edition of the ACT. Of the six games India has played so far, they have won five and drawn one (the first game against Japan).

Recalling his journey representing India in 300 International games, 35-year-old Sreejesh mentioned how he owes it all to the team and the game of hockey. Offering insights into his crucial role as both a goalie and an experienced player, Sreejesh said that the goalkeeper watches the game unfold in front of him and serves as the on-field coach.

Sharing his analysis of the India-Japan semi-final, Indian Head Coach Craig Fulton said, we did all that we wanted to do and played well.

"The skill and quality of our side came through in the India-Japan game. The best we can do is balance field goals and Penalty corners, we have a good, must-win final game against Malaysia" he added.

Queried about what changed between the drawn game against Japan and the 5-0 Semifinal against Japan, he told WION, "At the start of the tournament, we had foreseen that we'd need about 5-6 days to settle and now we're in full flow. The team is full of confidence."

Regarding the team's preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in China, he told WION, "After this tournament, we'll fully assess all our recent performances. This will include our performances in the Pro League, Spanish games, and Asian Champions trophy."

India are the only team still unbeaten in the ongoing tournament as they look for a clean sweep. They will heavily rely on the services of Sreejesh and skipper Harmanpreet Singh who has scored eight goals in the tournament so far. The Indian team will look to develop momentum for the Olympics, which are less than a year away from now.

"Getting to enter the final is a different thing. We look forward to converting the chances we get into goals," India's captain Harmanpreet Singh said.

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