Always eager to prove his mettle and live up to his name of shot-stopper, Parattu R Shreejesh is happy with the exposure and encouragement India’s national game is getting
Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh, the Indian hockey team goalkeeper also known as the Wall of Indian goalpost, or shot-stopper, has come a long way from the track-and-field sports of Kerala, to the Astroturf of world hockey fields. In the recent past, India’s two biggest achievements — the Asian Games gold in 2014, followed by a bronze at Hockey World League (2015) have come, courtesy Sreejesh. He has proved his mettle at many crucial moments on several occasions. He is the emerging star of Indian hockey. A simple, down-to-earth but determined man who wants to bring back the lost glory of Indian hockey.
He is a consistent performer. It was a one-man show against defending champions Netherlands in the penalty shoot-out in a thrilling bronze medal play-off match of the Hockey World League (HWL) Final 2015, which helped India to break its 34-year-old jinx of medal drought in a major international tournament and brought India the medal. Earlier in 2014, India beat Pakistan 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out to clinch the men’s hockey gold at the Asian Games after 16 years, which ensured the Indian hockey team a berth at the 2016 Rio Olympics. With the superb performance of Sreejesh, India managed to beat Pakistan in the final of Asian games after 44 years. Currently, he is the vice-captain of the Uttar Pradesh Wizards team, in Hockey India League (HIL).
Struggling days
Sreejesh comes from an agricultural family and had no sports background before taking to hockey. His father Raveendran, a farmer, struggled a lot to fund Sreejesh's sports ambitions initially. “When I started playing hockey it was my dream to excel in the sport. My family went through a tough time to fund my sports ambitions. Even I had to struggle to find a sponsor. A goalkeeper kit cost more than Rs 50,000 at that time. I used to feel so bad when I saw others coming with the latest equipment. However, things changed once I started getting sponsors, but the bitter memories cannot be wiped out easily,” he says.
But he never wanted to play hockey as a kid, by his own admission. “I wanted to be an athlete — just like so many others in Kerala,” says Shreejesh. As a kid, he started training as a sprinter but was just not fast enough. Then he moved to long jump, and then volleyball, before his coach at GV Raja Sports School in Trivandrum, told him to try goalkeeping for the school team. “I was studying in class VIII. His advice changed my fate and today with the grace of god, I am able to bring some glory to the nation and my family. Now people consider me one of the best goalkeepers in the country and among the top ones in the world,” he says, with visible pride.
Shreejesh also confesses he wanted to be the centre of attraction in his professional career. “I avoided playing at a position that demanded a lot of running but deep in my heart, I wanted to be the centre of attraction, and goalkeeping was the only position that gave me both satisfaction and considerable attention,” he says, clarifying how forwards have to depend on the passes from midfielders; even drag-flickers have to depend on the pusher and stopper. “I was told since my junior days that goalkeeping is the only area where you can put up a oneman show. So I gave it my hundred per cent, and more.”
The way of success
Sreejesh was selected for junior national team in 2004, in a match against Australia in Perth. Later in 2006, he made his debut in the senior national team at South Asian Games in Colombo. In 2008, India won the Junior Asia Cup, and he was awarded the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
During the junior Indian team in the Test series against Australia at Perth (2006), Shreejesh made a tremendous impact in the closelyfought series. He also got to play in the tournaments in Pakistan and Malaysia since then there was no looking back for this goalie.
His progress has been steady and his performances consistent. He played for the country in the SAF Games where they lost to Pakistan, then in the juniour tours to Poland for the Challenge Trophy where they finished winners, to Germany and the Indoor Asian Games in Macau. He could not make his permanent seat in the national team as senior players such as Adrian DSouza and Bharat Chhetri were part of the then national team. Later in 2011, he got an entry in the national team and since then he has been the backbone of the Indian hockey team.
Disappointments, heartbreaks
Earlier during the 2013 HIL, Sreejesh was disillusioned and disheartened upon reading skipper Sardar Singh’s comments on the poor form of goalkeepers. The inaugural HIL was nothing short of a disaster for him. Ahead of the World League (2013), Sardar was frank enough to admit that goalkeeping was an area that concerned him the most. Naturally, Sreejesh, who had earned praise from a certain section of the fraternity, for a few good performances in the HIL, felt demotivated.
He even wanted to hang his boots, he confesses. “Losing a match against Pakistan alwayshurts; we lost a match against Pakistan because I could not perform well. I was shattered and disheartened and wanted to give up, but my teammates, coaches and supporting staff stood beside me and reiterated that winning and losing is a part of the game,” says Sreejesh, adding how he doesn’t let negativity to affect him anymore.
Making of a star
Shreejesh has put up his desired one-man show performance not once, but on many occasions. He played a crucial role in India’s two biggest achievements in the recent past -- the Asian Games gold in 2014, followed by bronze at HWL in 2015. The ever-humble champion plays down the accomplishment, however. “We have good bench strength at the moment and the rotation within the squad is an important reason that has been transforming the approach of Indian hockey; we are hungry for glory.”
“We have a good and positive competition within our team. There is a bunch of 25 players amongst us, out of which 16 will be selected for the Rio Olympics. Moreover, we have enough replacements for each member in the team in case of any member is injured. The depth in the core group has been an important reason which is why we are doing well.”
Shreejesh remains stoic about the praise, too. “I have made some good saves, and so everyone is praising me at the moment. If I miss a couple of goals, people will be quick to criticize as well. I try not to give too much importance to such thoughts. I always hold my nerves on crucial moments on the field. I just stick to my basic instinct whenever I feel tensed during a match. Also practice makes you perfect. My coaches work hard with me, which helps me hone my skills.”
Commenting on the overall structure of the hockey players and support team, Shreejesh says the sport is also getting good support from the federation, and the Indian team is playing regularly with the world's best teams, which has provided it with good exposure. “Also, the Indian Hockey League has done a good job. Our youngsters are sharing the dressing room with the world’s top players. Now we are equivalent in terms of fitness and stamina with top hockey teams such as Australia and Holland, says the hockey star, adding how a lot needs to done at the same time. “If that is done, I firmly believe we can win a medal in Rio Olympics.”