SREEJESH PARATTU RAVEENDRAN,
Born on 08, May 1988, Height 185 cm
P Sreejesh, made his debut in for junior national team 2004 and got a call up to mann the goal post for the senior team two years later in 2006.
Sreejesh has been that stoic goalkeeper for Indian hockey who has affected, and memorably so, a huge number of heroic saves that changed hues to the medals that the team hung around its neck. Notably, he was the star in the final of the Asian Games, 2014. The match ended in a draw at regulation time. And Sreejesh blocked penalty strokes conversion from Pakistan, leading the country to a euphoric triumph. Sreejesh has donned this role so, for a long time now.
A good goalkeeper manages to take pressures off from the entire lineup which though has its role cut out but gel for a coordinated flow. From backing up to the tackles of the defenders, critically, to getting the ball outside the circle for defenders and midfielders to repossess, latch on and claim the flow of play and feed the forward line to counter-attack. Such free-flowing attacking style often stems from the reassurance of competent goalkeeping when the rival attack line manages to open up your defence. The counter-attack gets accelerated more so without having to bear pressures of an unfavourable scoreboard.
Judgement of the direction of the ball, the flow, symmetry between rival forwards who carry out counter-attacks calls for thinking on the feet, very quick reflexes to repel the attack once it breaches your defence. That’s where P Sreejesh has virtually been irreplaceable for a long time in the Indian hockey team. Sreejesh has been looked at, as well for reliably thinking through the mind of the player taking the penalty and has held his own among contemporaries, at every stage and situations.
His talent under the goal post has not gone unrewarded, having being conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri in and Arjuna award in 2015
Sreejesh has also captained the team that won accolades across the world:
Gold in Asian Games, 2014 at Incheon, South Korea, where he famously saved two penalty strokes in the final against arch-rivals Pakistan
Bronze at the Asian Games, 2018, in Jakarta.
Silver medal at Asia Cup in Ipoh, 2013
Silver at Champions Trophy in 2016 held in London
Silver at Champions Trophy in 2018, held in Breda, Netherlands.
Asian Champions Trophy has been a favourite hunting ground for the team as P Sreejesh has been part of the squad that clinched Gold in 2011(Ordos city), 2016(Kuantan), 2018(Muscat) besides a silver in 2012(Doha)
The prestigious and fiercely competitive World League held in Raipur, India saw the team winning Bronze in 2014-15
The Commonwealth Games played in 2014 at Glasgow saw the team earning another silver medal to its credit.
PR Sreejesh won the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament Thrice- at the 2013 Asia Cup at Ipoh, Malaysia as well at the 2014 Champions Trophy held in Bhubaneswar, India, the 2018 Champions Trophy, played at Breda, Netherlands.
Besides PR Sreejesh was also entrusted with the responsibilities of Team Captaincy for 2016 Champions Trophy as well as Rio Olympics.
