PR Sreejesh, the wall of Indian hockey, has hung up his boots after serving as goalkeeper for two decades. He retired following a successful Olympic campaign where India clinched the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Games. Soon after the Olympics, India flew to Mongolia to play in the Asian Champions Trophy, leaving fans wondering who would take over after Sreejesh. Now, we have the answer, as Indian hockey has found its new wall. India entered this competition with two familiar faces in goalkeeping: Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera.
Who is Krishan Pathak?
Krishan Pathak is certainly not an unfamiliar name, with 125 games and over six years of experience for India. He was also a member of the Junior Hockey World Cup-winning team in 2016. He is already considered a worthy successor. While there are big shoes to fill, there is no doubt that this 26-year-old will do well for India. As mentioned, another name in the team who is expected to become a big star in the future is Suraj Karkera who is also with the team, 28-year-old goalkeeper with 43 games of experience. It will be interesting to see how things turn out for India with these two experienced players taking PR Sreejesh’s place.