New Delhi: Having made a lunging save, PR Sreejesh got up to scream his lungs out at Sanjay and Jugraj Singh for failing to halt a German attack in a Pro League match in London last month.

The two defenders looked sheepish before joining India’s counterattack, while Manpreet Singh and skipper Harmanpreet Singh, playing higher in the field, smiled before getting on with the game.

Half-an-hour later, after India had beaten the reigning world champions 3-0, the seasoned goalkeeper had his arms wrapped around the two young defenders, sharing a laugh as they walked off the pitch.

That is Sreejesh for you, barking instructions on the field and playing the entertainer off it, who in an emotional social media post on Monday announced that he will be retiring after the Paris Games, which will be his fourth Olympics.

“As I prepare for my last dance in Paris, I look back with immense pride and forward with hope. This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I am forever grateful for the love and support from my family, teammates, coaches, fans and Hockey India. Thank you for believing in me,” said the 36-year-old.

“My teammates have stood beside through the tough and the ardent times. We all want to give our absolute best here in Paris and certainly, the desire is to change the colour of our medal.”

A veteran of 328 internationals, Sreejesh’s career — he made his debut in 2006 — has intertwined with the rise of Indian hockey. The game stared at an abyss when India failed to qualify for Beijing 2008, the first time the men’s team missed out on the Olympics. They qualified for London 2012 but finished last, on the Kerala player’s Olympic debut.

“The London Olympics was a harsh teacher. Losing all our matches was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was also a turning point. It was in those moments of defeat that I found my resolve to rise, to never back down,” said the former India skipper, who led the team at Rio 2016.

India lost in the quarter-finals — the first knockout round — in Rio and it would take five more years before Indian hockey reached its highest point in 41 years when they won bronze at Tokyo 2021 with Sreejesh making crucial saves throughout the tournament.

Apart from the Olympic medal, Sreejesh was part of various other memorable wins for India, including gold medals at the 2014 and 2023 Asian Games, and bronze in 2018. He helped India win silver medals at the 2014 and 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 and 2018 Champions Trophy. He also shone in India’s four Asian Champions Trophy triumphs, the last one coming at Chennai in 2023.

The Kochi-born was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 and won back-to-back FIH Goalkeeper of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022. He was also awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2017, after receiving the Arjuna award in 2015.

Sreejesh has always been the darling of the team, gelling with the seniors as well as the juniors. His ability to lift the mood in the dressing room has been acknowledged by his peers and coaches.

Known for his dedication, passion and never-say-die attitude, Sreejesh never taking his spot for granted not just raised his game, but the standard of the team that has looked up to him.

“Sreejesh was hardly 18 or 19 when I first saw him in the Indian camp and if I recall right, he made his international debut when I was captain. He is a very special player and my heart fills with joy and gratitude for his exemplary contribution to Indian hockey,” Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said.

“Paris will certainly be a special one for the team and I believe Sreejesh’s decision will only encourage the team further to stand on the podium again, making it truly special not just for Sreejesh but for the entire hockey fraternity. I wish him and the team the very best.”

India, aiming to win medals in successive Olympics for the first time in 52 years, will be motivated to see Sreejesh leave on a high.

“Paris will be a special tournament. We have decided to dedicate our campaign to the legend, PR Sreejesh. He has been an inspiration for all of us; I still remember his mentorship in the 2016 Junior World Cup when we lifted the title,” skipper Harmanpreet Singh said.

“It was the beginning of many of our careers in international hockey and he has shaped each one of our careers. We want to win it for Sreejesh; we are all the more motivated to stand on the podium once again.”

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