I went with the flow, never thought of getting rewarded globally: Sreejesh

 

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 2

ONE of the best goalkeepers in the world ‘The Wall’ of Indian hockey Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh had never thought that he would collect so many awards and would be recognised for his performance under the bar.

After been picked as the FIH player of the year 2021, shot-stopper Sreejesh won another global award a few days back in The World Games Athlete of the Year award.

Playing for India for the past two decades Sreejesh never imagined that he would be hailed by one and all. He just wanted to play with passion and determination. 

“When I started playing hockey, I never thought of wearing this blue (India) jersey. I just went with the flow. All these awards come after your performance on the field. I was just focusing on my training and worked hard. All these things got added to that performance in these two decades of my career,” said Sreejesh to a query by ‘The Hitavada’.

Sreejesh, became the first male and second Indian hockey player (after Rani Rampal) to win the global award.

The Khel Ratna award winner Sreejesh said The World Games Athlete of the Year award is the best thing that has happened to the game of hockey. Though he has been named as the world’s best, it is the game that has won the admiration of the world.

“It (the award) means a lot for global hockey. For me as a player, getting this award is good. FIH nominated my name for the prestigious award is a fantastic thing for me first of all. Secondly, we were fighting for the award with other games. Definitely, the voting system helped me a lot but hockey getting a global recognition is a very proud moment for the entire hockey fraternity,” said the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal winning goalkeeper.

“It is fantastic that FIH nominated an Indian for the award. It is a proud feeling that the entire world is voting for us and recognising us,” he added.

Sreejesh, 33, is at the other side of his age but feels that he still has that motivation to continue for another few years. He might have won the Olympics bronze, but he still yearns for a World Cup gold.

“The Tokyo Olympic medal (bronze) was a dream but I still want to better the colour of the medal. This (2022) year is very important for us. We will be going to South Africa for the FIH Pro League and then we have the Asian Games. Our focus now is on the next Olympic cycle which starts this year. First we have the Pro League which will help in creating a strong base for us. The Asian Games will help us get a direct berth in the Paris Olympics, so there is as an added motivation. In the last World Cup, we couldn’t qualify for the semi-finals. So winning a medal in the World Cup will complete my goal. I will try to give my best,” said Sreejesh.

Sreejesh has set short-term targets and will be focusing on doing well at the World Cup to be held at Bhubaneswar in India in 2023.

“For a goalkeeper, age is not a big barrier. It’s about how passionate you are. My next short-term goal is the World Cup to be held in India,” he said.

Sreejesh, who will be returning to the Indian squad after more than six months, felt that the break helped him regroup and rejuvenate well.

“It was a much-needed break. It helped me develop a bond with my family. We went for a holiday and the kids enjoyed a lot. I spend some quality time with them. The holiday was a rejuvenating experience for me,” Sreejesh said.

The star Indian custodian is also open to donning a coach’s hat once he hangs his boots. “I am enjoying my hockey at the moment. But yes, I am interested in coaching. I would definitely give it a thought once I call it quits. I will have to talk with my family and see how it (the coaching job) unfolds,” concluded The Wall of Indian hockey.