Hockey India decides to retire jersey No. 16 in honor of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh

Hockey India on Wednesday decided to retire the jersey No.16 of legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. The star player played an important role in helping the country win its second consecutive Olympic medal in the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. After this, he announced his retirement.

Also Read: "The way I wanted is start with the juniors, and Rahul Dravid is an example," PR Sreejesh reveals his coaching roadmap aiming for the 2036 Olympics

HI names Sreejesh junior team coach

Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh announced that 36-year-old Sreejesh, who has worn the No. 16 jersey for almost two decades, will take up the role of national coach of the junior hockey team. He said, “Sreejesh is now going to be the junior team coach and we are retiring the No. 16 jersey for the senior team. We are not retiring No. 16 for the junior team,”

“Sreejesh dusra Sreejesh ko paida karega in junior team (Sreejesh will groom someone like him in the junior team who will wear the No.16 jersey),” the Secretary-General clarified that hockey No. 16 can be seen at the junior level. It has been retired only at the senior level.

Sreejesh looked curious about his coaching plans

Recently Sreejesh had said that he wants to start his coaching career from the lower level like Rahul Dravid. "I want to become a coach. That was always my plan but now there is a question of when. After retirement, family comes first. I need to talk with them if they are OK with this. Now you have to listen to your wife a little bit," 

"The way I wanted is start with the juniors, and Rahul Dravid is an example. It's like you develop a bunch of players, get them into the senior team, and let them follow you," Sreejesh added. 

India won bronze by defeating Spain

Indian Men's Hockey Team won the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 and with this PR Sreejesh said goodbye to hockey. Sreejesh has been an important member of the Indian team for a long time. He also performed brilliantly in the Paris Olympics and stood as a wall in front of the opposing team. Even in the bronze medal match against Spain, Sreejesh made brilliant saves in the last quarter and prevented them from taking the lead. In this way, the team bid farewell to Sreejesh with victory.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's medals at the Olympics by sports

Sreejesh's Olympic career

In 2012, PR Sreejesh participated in the Olympic Games for the first time. India stood 12th in that edition. The Indian team reached the quarter-finals in the 2016 Olympics played in Rio. Sreejesh led that team. 

After a long wait, India won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics played in 2021, in which Sreejesh also played an important role. He finished his career in 2024 by winning his second Olympic medal.

Sreejesh grabs gold in Asian Games

Additionally, the keeper from Kerala has also won gold in the 2022 Asian Games in China, a silver medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England and a gold medal in the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy.