Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh is better known as ‘The Wall.’ He bid farewell to Indian Hockey after winning bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024. Sreejesh was a goalkeeper in the Indian hockey team as well as former captain of Indian National Hockey Team. He is known to be one of the best goalkeepers in the history of hockey.
Why Did Sreejesh Become a Goalkeeper?
There is a really funny story behind why PR Sreejesh chose to become a goalkeeper in the sport of hockey. During a chat with cricketer Dinesh Karthik, he mentioned this story. PR Sreejesh shared, “In Kerala, if you play for the Kerala team, under 17 or under 14, you will get a grace mark in your board exams. Hockey was not easy, because you know you experienced it. You need to bend; you need to play. That was really tough for me and over to that you need to run. So, I was a fatty guy. I didn’t like running at all. So, I saw these goalkeepers with everything that you wear today, not that much but still, standing in the corner and kicking the ball. I was like okay that was pretty funny. Because they are not doing anything; they are not running, they are just wearing the pad and kicking the ball. So, I thought this is the right position for me because you don’t need to run, you are a part of the hockey team and you will get the grace mark. That’s how I became a goalkeeper.
Dinesh Karthik’s Reaction
Dinesh also found this story funny and said, “The journey started because you wanted grace marks.” Sreejesh replied, “Exactly.” Dinesh continued, “And you became India’s greatest goalkeeper.”
PR Sreejesh’s New Role After Retirement
Many people asked Sreejesh that if he will rule-out his retirement plans after winning bronze medal at Paris Olympics. Sreejesh replied to them by saying, “This is the better way to finish.” He ruled-out all the possibilities of his U-turn to featuring as a player in future international hockey matches. For the fans of Sreejesh, there is one good news. The good news being, PR Sreejesh will be seen in the role of head coach of Indian Junior Hockey Team.
Medals of PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh has won numerous medals. Some of the most iconic medals are bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020, silver medal at Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Champion Trophy Winners team in 2022, gold medal in Asian Games hockey in 2022, bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024, and many more.