PR Sreejesh has publicly questioned Hockey India’s continued reliance on foreign coaches after revealing that his tenure with the Indian junior men’s hockey team has come to an end. In a strongly worded statement on social media on Tuesday, the Indian hockey legend claimed that he was removed despite his consistent success and claimed that the federation preferred to appoint a foreign coach for the junior squad.
Considered one of India’s brightest long-term coaching prospects after his retirement, Sreejesh expressed his frustration at the way his tenure ended after just a year and a half in charge.
“Looks like my coaching career is coming to an end after 1.5 years in which we have played five tournaments and secured five podium finishes including a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship,” wrote Sreejesh.
The former India wicketkeeper then explosively claimed that he had effectively been replaced to make way for a foreign coach, something he said he had never experienced before.
“I’ve heard of coaches being fired after poor performances. But this is the first time I’ve been fired to make way for a foreign coach,” he added.
Sreejesh also claimed that the reason for the move was related to the preference of the current senior team setup.
“The president of Hockey India has stated that the head coach of the senior team prefers a foreign head coach for the junior team and believes that this will help the development of Indian hockey from the junior level to the senior level,” Sreejesh said.
The statement quickly sparked debate in Indian hockey circles, especially as Sreejesh is not only one of India’s most decorated hockey players, but also someone who many believed could eventually become one of the faces of India’s coaching future.
In his short stint at the juniors, Sreejesh led India to impressive results, including a gold medal at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup, a bronze at the Sultan of Johor Cup and another bronze at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup.
Given his success and stature in Indian hockey, the sudden development has raised fresh questions about Hockey India’s long-term approach to developing Indian coaches at the elite level.
SREEJESH KILLS HOCKEY INDIAN FOREIGN COACHING FRENZY
The sharpest part of Sreejesh’s statement came when he openly questioned why Indian hockey continues to rely so heavily on foreign coaches despite the presence of experienced former players within the country’s own system.
“Can’t Indian coaches develop Indian hockey?” Sreejesh asked directly in his statement.
Sreejesh also revealed that he was personally encouraged by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviy earlier this year to continue taking on bigger coaching responsibilities as India prepares for the 2036 Olympic cycle.
“On 03/07/2026, during a meeting with Hon’ble Sports Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, I was told, ‘Sreejesh, we need coaches like you to step up and lead our country in preparation for 2036,'” he wrote.
However, he contrasted this support with what he described as Hockey India’s current approach.
“However, Hockey India continues to trust foreign coaches over Indian coaches in all four teams,” Sreejesh added.
The comments have now intensified an old debate in Indian hockey over whether former Indian greats are given enough trust and opportunities in coaching lanes compared to overseas appointments.
WHAT PR SREEJESH HAS WON AS INDIA’S JUNIOR COACH
What makes this development even more surprising is that Sreejesh’s stint in the juniors was largely seen as a success both in terms of results and development.
In just 1.5 years as head coach of the Indian junior men’s hockey team, Sreejesh helped the side secure podium finishes in all the five tournaments they played.
This included:
- Gold medal at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup
- Bronze medal at the Sultan of Johor Cup
- Bronze medal at the FIH Junior World Cup
Apart from the medals themselves, many in Indian hockey have praised Sreejesh’s ability to connect with the younger players, especially because of how he has recently performed at the highest level of international hockey himself.
Widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Indian hockey, Sreejesh has played a major role in India’s revival over the last decade, including several Olympic medal campaigns and several high-profile international appearances.
After his retirement, his move into coaching was seen as a major boost for the future structure of Indian hockey.
Which is exactly why his sudden departure and the claims made in his statement are likely to spark a much bigger conversation about how Indian hockey wants to shape its coaching identity going forward.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
13 May 2026 17:17 IST
