‘2012 Olympics was a disaster. We are eager to change that in Rio’

By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, July 23

A SMALL town guy from a nondescript Kizhakkambalam village in Ernakulam district of Kerala has made his way to the top of the Indian hockey with sheer determination and hard work. Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh, one of world’s best goalkeepers at the moment will be leading the Indian men’s hockey team at the August 5-21 Rio Olympics.
The Indian custodian who has over 120 caps and has a road named after him in Kerala, recalled his early days when he had to play with ragged pads and jerseys, and how those days taught him to become a better person and player.
The Indian team took off for Spain on Saturday night. They would play a few warm-up games in Madrid and then go to Rio.
The 30-year-old bartender, who says goalkeeping is like a wine, which gets better with time (experience), is ready to shoulder the responsibility. He is ready to use all his experience when India hit the hockey turf at Rio from 
August 5.
Before leaving the Indian shores, Sreejesh talked with 
The Hitavada’s Principal Correspondent.
Q: The preparatory camp is over and the team is flying to Madrid. How is mood in the camp?
Sreejesh: Everyone is well prepared for Rio Olympics. The mood is great in the camp. All the players are eager to get the Games started. We have worked hard during this Bangalore camp. We were waiting for this Olympics since 2012 after we finished with the wooden spoon. It was a disaster. We all want to change that.
Q: How would you lead the team as a captain? What would be your mantra to make the top?
Sree: I want the players to play according to the roles given to them. Let them realise that they are important for us and their performance is important for the team. We have given them responsibilities and they should perform. When they start taking responsibilities they would know their importance and start feeling “It’s my responsibility to help the team win.” That’s how we can build the team. That’s my way of leading a team.
Q: How much will the team miss defender Birendra Lakra?
Sree: Birendra will be missed badly. He was one of the best defenders at present. But injuries are part and parcel of the game and one can’t do anything.
Q: You made your India debut way back in 2004. Did you ever imagine that one day you would lead the Indian team in a mega event like Olympics?
Sree: (Laughs) No..no.no…Never. I never ever imagined about this. I never imagined of getting selected in the national team, leave aside leading it. It’s all fate and I believe in destiny. My basic aim was to get selected for Kerala team and play nationals for the State. I had never thought of attending the national camp. But when I got the opportunity to get into the national camp, I started believing that I can play for the country. Then the dream started taking shape and I said to myself “If I work hard I can get into the Indian team”.
I owe a lot to Harendra Singh (India coach). He was the one who picked me from Kerala. He took me to the Junior Asia Cup. That was the time when my destiny changed. Harendra sir kept faith in me and gave me a chance in Junior World Cup and later I got selected into the senior team. Today, it’s a dream come true.
Q: Since 2014, you are with the Indian team playing almost all the tournaments, barring the Sultan Azlan Shah this year. Tell us about the journey in this last two years. How much have we, as a team, progressed since then?
Sree: Actually, the team’s progress started from 2013 with the Asia Cup. Then our next target was World Cup and after that it was the Asian Games where we wanted to qualify for Rio. We achieved that by winning the gold medal and a ticket for Rio. But the best part from 2013 was that we were able to continue with the core group. That helped us in team bonding and the players gelled well. That helped us in developing the team and improving our performance. If you ask me personally as a goalkeeper, I think getting more opportunity for playing in the main XI helped me in gaining more experience. It also helped me in building my confidence. That has helped me during the matches and also during defending the shoot-outs.
During this period what I learnt is that I have to give 100 per cent whenever I don the India Blue. Since then I decided that I would not let the team down because of my own performance.
Q: Though hockey is a team sport, India’s Rio berth is attributed to you alone after we won Asian Games gold beating Pakistan on penalties. What would you say on that?
Sree: I think first of all hockey is a team event. When it comes to shoot-out the responsibility goes to a single person, the goalkeeper. 
But we can’t forget those players who scored the goals for us in the shoot-out. It’s a simultaneous thing. Had they not scored then we would not have won. Yes, it feels great when people recognise you and appreciate your performance.
Q: How does it feel to be in the media limelight, especially after the 2012 London Games debacle?
Sree: I think I am not more into that. I want my other players to hog the limelight. If you see the 1980 (Moscow) Olympics team after we won the gold, that team was known and remembered by captain (Vasudevan) Bhaskaran. Very few at that time knew about the other members of the team. In India most of the time the limelight is on captain. But for me it’s not important. For me it’s my team-mates who should get the importance, all the 16 players, because they are representing our country and they too contribute.
Q: As a goalkeeper how much have you improved after the Asian Games?
Sree: Right now I am working more on my basics because what I learnt earlier was totally wrong. I am now learning...like how to keep your hand, how to hold your stick, how to kick…I am trying to change those things and trying to get perfect on my basics. That’s what I am doing from last 2-3 years. That helped me a lot because when you sharpen your skills your game develops accordingly.
Q: Tell us something about your early days. Have you ever cried or got disappointed or thought of leaving hockey?
Sree: I never thought of leaving. Yes, there were disappointments and at times depressing situations. But the real thing was that I was getting daily practice. I had a place to sleep. I was getting daily food. I always kept calm. I always kept on telling myself that one day I will play better and that motto kept me going ahead.
Q: Could you recall your old days when you had nothing…no pads... no proper kit..
Sree: At that time I had nothing. I had to struggle a lot. I stitched my jersey and pads in the nights. I didn’t have a strong family background. So, it was quite difficult in those days. Those struggling days in my career helped me in becoming a better person as well as a player. Like other players I never got branded clothes. It was a normal thing. I always used to wear stitched clothes. I come from a small village and nobody there wears jeans. So it was a normal thing for me.
Q: Who would you attribute your success to, on and off the field? Who are your best buddies in your 10 years hockey career?
Sree: Adrian D’Souza (former India goalkeeper) was and will be my role model. He was also a goalkeeper like me. He changed my way of thinking. He stood by my side in difficult times. He is like my brother, my well-wisher. For 5-6 years we were together and shared the same room. We used to spend our time together. Then there was Shivendra Singh (former India forward and a room-mate) who was also a great person. He, too, was very close to me. Now, there are Birendra, Danish Mujtaba, SV Sunil and Raghunath bhaiyya. They all are very close to me. Actually this team is very closely-knit.
Q: How do you release pressure during matches?
Sree: I sing (Malayalam songs) during matches. But not when the ball is in our circle (laughs)…when the ball is in the other half. I have a habit of talking to my pads. I talk to them to motivate myself. I love to sing Malayalam songs whenever I am under pressure.
Q: Your fans and team-mates have given you several names like ‘The Wall’, ‘The Defence Minister’, ‘The Saviour’…which one you like the most?
Sree: Hahaha….I think ‘The Wall’ is the best…I love that name.
Q: Who’s you favourite singer?
Sree: I don’t have any favourite singer but yes I love to listen Yesudas’ songs. He is from Kerala (Kochi). At times I listen to Hindi songs also.
Q: Have you seen Kabali?
Sree: No...Due to tight schedule I didn’t get time to watch the movie. I tried to get tickets yesterday but you know in Bangalore how difficult it is to get tickets. We are flying at 10.30 pm so it’s not possible tonight too.