India Suraj Karkera sets aim to become world's best hockey goalkeeper

Suraj Karkera with his three Asia Cup medals (gold at Dhaka 2017, bronze at Jakarta 2022 and gold at Rajgir 2025) — a first for an Indian hockey goalkeeper — at his Malad home on Thursday. Pics/Satej Shinde

There is a quiet confidence about Indian hockey goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, which he maintains, both on and off the field. It probably stems from the quiet, quaint neighbourhood he has been brought up in, at Irani Colony in Malad East.

Back from a gold medal-winning show at the Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, the Indian army Subhedar was home alone, busy catching up on his combat books and spy documentary series on TV on Thursday afternoon, when mid-day caught up with him for an interaction.

"My wife Shefali works for a private firm while my mum Asha is a beautician and dad Harish is employed with a construction firm. They're all at work now, but I don't mind being alone. I can read and watch TV, which I can't do much during national camps and tournaments," Karkera, 29, says during a chat in the upper floor of his modest two-room home, which is part of a small 60-house settlement that's over half-a-century old. "This entire locality is like my family. We have around 150-200 people. On Saturday, they have planned a get-together to celebrate my Asia Cup win," adds Karkera, a Subhedar with the Bombay Sappers, one of the oldest and most decorated regiments of the Indian army.

Discipline and patience

Karkera cannot reveal his official posting location for security purposes, much like he disguises his defensive moves while protecting his goalpost. "The army has taught me discipline and sacrifice and I try to incorporate these qualities in all aspects of my life," says Karkera, a product of Dronacharya Award-winning hockey coach Marzban ‘Bawa' Patel at Children's Academy High School (Malad) and thereafter, Rizvi College (Bandra). Discipline and sacrifice helped Karkera remain patient for almost a decade when, despite making his senior India debut back in 2017 (against Belgium), he was on the fringes since veteran custodian PR Sreejesh and Krishan Pathak were the two goalkeepers on duty. When Sreejesh retired after the 2024 Paris Olympics, Karkera stepped into his shoes and immediately helped India win the Asian Champions Trophy in China.

Interestingly, goalkeeping is a solitary job, but Karkera views it as teamwork. "Pathak and I have been training together since our junior days in 2015. As we alternate between the four quarters in a match, I look at goalkeeping as a unit, because only if we both perform well, will the team benefit," says Karkera, who was in top form at the Asia Cup, letting in just two out of the nine goals India conceded in seven matches.

Just before this Asia Cup though, Team India was criticised for losing seven out of their eight matches during their European leg of the FIH Pro League. However, Karkera clarifies that it wasn't as bad. "Most defeats were by just one goal. Also, against Argentina, we had a penalty stroke disallowed and against The Netherlands there was backstick offence that went against us. But we learnt a lot from the Pro League experience against the world's best teams. I'm sure we will fare better when we meet the big teams again at next year's World Cup [in Belgium and The Netherlands from August 14 to 30]. I have no doubt that this Indian team can win a historic World Cup medal. This bunch has been playing together for almost a decade and the back-to-back Olympic bronze medals is proof of their success. We are now working hard to change the colour of that bronze to gold," he says.

Next big phase

The next phase is extremely crucial as Karkera looks to establish himself as one of the best goalkeepers, not just in the country, but also in world hockey. India will play for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia (October) followed by a South African tour (November), then the franchise-based Hockey India League (December onwards) and the FIH Pro League 2026 before the World Cup and the Asian Games (September 2026). Karkera is ready for the grind. "Coach [Craig Fulton] has prescribed specific, achievable targets. He demands consistency. He doesn't want a spectacular performance to be followed by a poor show. He wants the focus to be ball-specific. The idea is to stay in the present, irrespective of which quarter you're playing. Focus on every ball for 15 minutes [duration of a quarter] and then you have a break for 15 minutes. This has helped me develop," Karkera signs off.