India, Aug. 8 -- When PR Sreejesh told the world that the Paris Olympics will be his last international tournament, teammate Manpreet Singh posted on Instagram promising they'd do something special for him.What did that farewell gesture look like for Sreejesh?"Winning matches - that's the best thing that we as a team can achieve, and that's the best thing my teammates can give me," Sreejesh had told HT before India's opening game.After the only win that mattered for a medal was sealed, Manpreet turned towards Sreejesh, his fellow four-time Olympian, and bowed.Moments later, breaking away from the huddle, each player and member of the support staff did the same. Sreejesh stood, both his arms spread aloft and wide. And then he sat, on the top left bar of the goalpost.Tokyo then. Paris now."This one is for him," Manpreet said.For Indian hockey's most thankless servant manning the goal, wrapping a second Olympic medal around his neck was an apt way to walk into the sunset. More so because at various points over the last couple of weeks, it was his assuring presence and audacious saves that kept the light on the Indian campaign here.Think of that game against Great Britain and those quick reflexes on which India clung on to. Think of this game against Spain when, with a minute and eight seconds to the clock, his right foot thwarted a Marc Miralles dragflick to keep the 2-1 scoreline and the bronze.Walking out in the baking Thursday afternoon sun as the early bird among his teammates on the turf, Sreejesh stood at the centre line, then sat inside his little box of excellence, and took a moment to soak it all in."That was my home for the last 24 years. I never lived my life outside that," Sreejesh said. "So I didn't know what was going to happen to me next."Before we entered, Harman told me, 'bhai, koi puche toh bata dena aapka last match hai. Aur hum khelenge bhi aise (if someone asks you, tell them it's your last match, and we'll play like one too)'."And there was Sreejesh. For one last time in an international match. For one last time flaunting "India" on his chest in print and in spirit. For one last time wearing his heart on his sleeves and yelling out cries of instructions -- in a language best described as colourful -- for the defence on his lips."Earlier, I would use a lot of MC-BC on my players," Sreejesh said.

Next to him, Harmanpreet Singh covered his face and laughed, wondering how casually Sreejesh could slip in something like that. "Gradually, I directed all my scolding towards my goal."Colourful perhaps best sums up Sreejesh, the goalkeeper and person. Through a phase of lull in Indian hockey through the last decade, the boisterous man from the backwaters of Kerala was the guiding force. He remained the team's leader - with the official tag for quite a while and even without it -, its loudest (at times, most critical) cheerleader and the drop-of-a-hat dancer.The constant. A colourful constant.Sreejesh has never been short of motivation himself all through his international hockey ride that he strapped up for in 2006. Irrespective of the job - goalkeepers are seldom remembered for their umpteen saves, but scrutinized heavily for that one costly miss. Irrespective of the age - well into his thirties, Sreejesh had the vision of a hawk, the reflexes of a cat, the hunger of a lion."Na jaane kitne saves kiye honge," Manpreet said.The constant. A clinical constant.One that the Indian team will undoubtedly miss once it gets back on the competitive turf after the Olympics. "Of course, everyone will miss him. You will miss him," coach Craig Fulton said.Fulton, in all those busy celebratory moments on the turf, took a moment to walk towards Sreejesh and capture a selfie taking out his phone. Sreejesh then walked towards the goal, the Tri-colour draped around his shoulder, and tapped the bar with his stick. For the one last time. As an India goalkeeper.And that is how Sreejesh would like India to remember him.As a keeper. A colourful keeper."I want people to remember me as a good person who always had a smiling face. And for the youngsters and kids, when they pad up and step on to the hockey field, they should feel I want to become a keeper like Sreejesh," he said. "That will be a great honour for me.

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