India goalkeeper Sreejesh eyes podium in Odisha; says team can do better than last edition’s quarter-final exit
India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. Pic/Getty Images
All set to play in his fourth FIH men’s hockey World Cup and the third on home soil, veteran India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh feels his team can do better than the quarter-final exit in the last edition, and even finish on top of the podium this time.
The showpiece begins here on Friday.
India topped their pool after winning two matches and drawing one, but lost to eventual runners-up The Netherlands 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2018 edition, which was played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. “It is a great honour for me to play my fourth World Cup for our country and the special part is, this is my third World Cup on home soil. I don’t think any player has had this privilege of playing three World Cups at home,” Sreejesh said ahead of India’s first Pool ‘D’ match on Friday against Spain.
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“In 2018, we couldn’t go into the semis. Now, we have one more opportunity to change our fortunes at this mega event. Hopefully, we can improve our previous performance and finish on top,” he said. India have not finished on the podium in 48 years since winning the gold in 1975 edition in Kuala Lumpur under the captaincy of Ajit Pal Singh.
Also Read: Harmanpreet Singh to captain India at hockey World Cup
The 34-year-old experienced goalkeeper, the second most capped Indian player in the team after Manpreet Singh, said results matter more than the number of times a player turns up for a marquee event like the World Cup. “I’ve always felt it’s not about how many times you have played a tournament, but whether you have won it or not is what matters the most. This time too, it’s important for me to give my 100 per cent and get the desired result from the tournament,” said Sreejesh, who played a major role in India’s historic bronze-winning feat in the Tokyo Olympics.
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