Pro League wake up call for India: Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh calls India's Pro League performance a wake-up call. He emphasizes junior team development, aiming for success in upcoming tournaments.
New Delhi: Former skipper PR Sreejesh said that the eighth-place finish and seven straight losses at the Pro League was an important wake-up call for the Indian men’s hockey team, who missed qualifying for the 2026 World Cup via the elite nine-nation tournament.
“The players performed well and created a lot of opportunities. They put up a good fight on the field but sometimes results go against us. That’s what happened. Unfortunately, the results were not favourable but the preparation was perfect,” said the double Olympic bronze medallist at the launch of the 20th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon that will be run on October 12.
“The coaches have put in enough time to prepare the team for the Asia Cup which we are hosting. Looking forward to next year with the Asian Games and World Cup coming up. Pro League was a very good wake up call for the team to be on its toes and prepare for these events.”
Having missed the chance in Pro League, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side can qualify for the World Cup if they win the Asia Cup to be played in Rajgir from August 27 to September 7.
{{/usCountry}}Having missed the chance in Pro League, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side can qualify for the World Cup if they win the Asia Cup to be played in Rajgir from August 27 to September 7.
{{/usCountry}}Though he is keeping an eye on his former team, Sreejesh’s primary focus is the Indian junior team where he is head coach, taking over the role after he retired post the Paris Olympics. Under the former India goalkeeper, the junior team won bronze at the Sultan of Johor Cup and gold at the Junior Asia Cup last year.
{{/usCountry}}Though he is keeping an eye on his former team, Sreejesh’s primary focus is the Indian junior team where he is head coach, taking over the role after he retired post the Paris Olympics. Under the former India goalkeeper, the junior team won bronze at the Sultan of Johor Cup and gold at the Junior Asia Cup last year.
{{/usCountry}}This season, after a four-nation tournament in Berlin followed by a tour of Europe, the next test for Sreejesh’s team will be the Sultan of Johor Cup in October followed by the all-important Junior World Cup in November-December. Sreejesh explained that the junior players are in a transitional phase between domestic and the international level where they will struggle.
{{/usCountry}}This season, after a four-nation tournament in Berlin followed by a tour of Europe, the next test for Sreejesh’s team will be the Sultan of Johor Cup in October followed by the all-important Junior World Cup in November-December. Sreejesh explained that the junior players are in a transitional phase between domestic and the international level where they will struggle.
{{/usCountry}}“See, the junior team is entering the international level. From here, we send players to the senior level. For me, it’s to let them know what international hockey is and welcoming them into the arena. The initial stage will be that of struggle because they have only experienced domestic level hockey till now,” said Sreejesh.
“It’s bit of a tough challenge for me or any coach who works at the junior level to introduce these young buds into the international arena. But there are a lot of potential candidates who can make it into the senior team. For them, the biggest challenge is the Junior World Cup because that is where they face the real challenge because of all the four-nation events, Test matches will never throw enough pressure on them like the Junior World Cup.”
The 37-year-old added that his role involved sharing his experience and how it feels when preparing for a big tournament, a role he is enjoying to the fullest.
“Earlier, the physical stress was intense. Now it’s more mental. I have faced enough pressure as a player. Being a coach, it’s time for me to take that pressure off from the players,” he concluded.
