India are still missing PR Sreejesh and the Hockey World Cup proved it

When the Indian men’s team went to a penalty shoot-out for the 7th-8th spot in the Hockey World Cup play-off against Belgium, there was not that familiar feeling of comfort. Yes, India fought their way back into the competition and some might argue that the momentum was finally on their side.

But the confidence wasn’t quite the same.

Mohith stepped into the firing line with his gloves on while Belgium had their own hockey bulwark, Vincent Vanasch, guarding the wicket. Mohith did his best but could not prevent India from sliding to defeat. Meanwhile, Vanasch made two sensational saves when it mattered most power Belgium to victory.

It was hard not to notice the lack of security in that shootout. One big name was missing from the Indian lineup: PR Sreejesh.

For years, India have relied on the Kerala keeper to get them out of the toughest of situations. In his last campaign at the Paris Olympics, Sreejesh played a major role in India’s quarter-final win over Great Britain after the team played with 10 men for over 40 minutes. And this was far from an isolated occasion.

Sreejesh’s absence was perhaps best captured by legendary Dutch goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak, who was with the Indian women’s team. While Mohith and Suraj Karkera have put in some good performances in India, Blaak felt they lacked the X-factor needed to take the team to the next level.

“I have also been watching the men’s team and there is a huge void after the retirement of the legendary PR Sreejesh. A great goalkeeper. Young goalkeepers have come in but they have lacked the quality to take India to the next level,” Blaak said.

So is India really missing Sreejesh? And did this year’s World Cup in Hockey show how difficult it was to replace him?

LACK OF TALENT AND EXPOSURE?

Romeo James, a former Indian wicketkeeper himself and one of the first to spot Sreejesh’s talent, has been vocal about his concerns about India’s wicketkeeping department in the run-up to the tournament.

And in many ways his fears seemed justified.

India conceded 19 wickets during the tournament, making them the sixth worst defense in the competition. While the defense deserves its share of the blame, the goalkeeper is often expected to be the last line of resistance – the player who can turn a certain goal into a save and change the course of the game.

That safety net wasn’t always there this time.

James believes the problem starts with the lack of exceptional talent coming through the ranks since Sreejesh hung up his gloves.

“It has to do with talent, you know. Not everyone can be Sreejesh,” James said.

But for James, talent alone is not the answer. Exposure is just as important, especially at a position where it can make a big difference.

“You can’t expect to hide in Bangalore and camp there for two or three months, that’s going to show them. You’re not going to do that with just practice. You have to give them proper match experience.”

Since Sreejesh’s retirementIndia used Krishan Pathak and Karkera as their wicketkeepers in Asia Cup 2025. Suddenly, Pathak seems out of the picture while Mohith has just 20 matches under his belt.

James also believes goaltenders need something that can’t be tracked quickly: time.

“It takes time to develop a goalkeeper. It takes at least 6 to 7 years. Even when Sreejesh came, he came in 2006 for the juniors and 2008, he made his debut for the senior team, and then when he started playing well, it was somewhere in 2014 or 2015 or 2016. So it took him years.”

Sreejesh was not built overnight. And expecting his successor to emerge overnight may be India’s biggest mistake.

LEADER SREEJESH IS ALSO MISSING

Similar to football, the goalkeeper commands the defense in hockey. They have the clearest view of the pitch from the back and are expected to organize the players in front of them.

Sreejesh has been doing this for years.

He often talked about how watching the game from behind helped him understand coaching and tactics. In many ways, he was a natural leader in the party – even without the armband.

This commanding presence has not always been seen in the current Indian team.

“What Sreejesh was doing was calling the right defense and leading them,” James said.

The Indians legend pointed to his own playing days, recalling how he too was initially reluctant to lead a defense filled with older players – something he believes can also affect the young goalkeepers trying to make it today.

“As a wicket keeper, when I started playing for the Indian team, I too was reluctant and hesitant to call up the seniors ahead of me.

“Later, when you get into it after 6 months or 7-8 months, when you’re confident and when you’ve played enough, then you can call with confidence,” James said.

This confidence comes with experience and confidence. A goalkeeper who knows his place in the team is much more likely to take charge of the player in front of him. That was one of Sreejesh’s greatest strengths – and another void India now has to fill.

HOW WILL INDIA FILL SREEJESH’S VOICE?

India cannot afford to spend forever looking back at what it has lost. Sreejesh is gone and the search for the next great Indian wicketkeeper cannot be just about finding another version of him.

The task is to build a new generation capable of taking responsibility.

James proposed a two-step approach, starting with identifying a larger group of goaltenders and giving them an opportunity to prove themselves.

“You see, there are short-term and long-term options. The short-term will identify those who are currently playing in the Indian team, about 7-8 goalkeepers. You train them and then you see who is the best, you know, and you show them.”

“And long-term, then you coach those junior guys, you know, coached under a goaltender who can teach them the fundamentals of modern hockey, you know. If your fundamentals are right, right from some junior level, and then it’s going to be eight years or 10 years, but you’ve got to start somewhere. You’ve got to start,” James said.

Another proposal was to make better use of the Hockey India League and ensure Indian goaltenders get meaningful playing time alongside the world’s best players.

“In the Hockey India League, our goaltenders should be prioritized. I mean, what’s the point of having a Hockey India League if you don’t expose our goaltenders and our flashes?” James said.

India has bigger challenges ahead, with the Asian Games and a trip to the Los Angeles Olympics just around the corner. And goaltending remains one department that cannot be ignored.

India may not want to admit it yet, but the truth is hard to escape: they miss PR Sreejesh.

The longer it takes them to field a reliable successor, the more that absence will come back to haunt them – especially when the next big match goes down to the wire and India need someone to stand between them and beat them.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

30 Aug 2026 10:56 IST