Rajgir: The Paris Olympics marked a transition for the Indian hockey team under the goalkeeper’s bar. The inspirational PR Sreejesh retired after clinching bronze, his second successive Olympic medal.
His understudy Krishan Bahadur Pathak took charge as the team’s primary goalkeeper, and after spending seven years on the bench, Suraj Karkera has finally got his due as the India No.2.
Of the same age, Pathak and Karkera learned the finer points of goalkeeping from their guru Sreejesh. But both are now looking for success and recognition by charting their own path.
Since his debut in 2018, Pathak has shared every laurel with Sreejesh, except the most important one – the Olympics. Since only 16 players are allowed in an Olympic hockey squad, unlike 18 for other tournaments, only one goalkeeper was allowed at both Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024. Pathak went to both Games as a standby, where he was left to watch his teammates return with a medal around their neck.
As a senior player, Sreejesh often shouted instructions to his teammates, especially the defenders. Now, the 28-year-old Pathak, who comes from Punjab, is putting into practice what he learnt from the former India captain.
“Now, I have to find the answer myself. I also have to guide the team. If I see that our opponent is doing something different, I have to pass it on to my team. I have to pass it on to my defence. You have to show the areas to your PCD (penalty corner defence). I have to show what our opponent is doing differently. It’s a big thing for me to take on that responsibility,” Pathak, who has played 153 games for India, told HT at the ongoing Asia Cup.
“Mentally, you have to be strong. As a goalkeeper, it’s important how quickly you learn and rectify your last error and move forward. For example, if you concede a goal, it’s important to move forward and not keep thinking about it. That way I have improved as a keeper.”
Karkera made his debut in 2017, even before Pathak, but the latter was preferred as the second goalie irrespective of which coach came in. The 29-year-old played only 41 of his 72 internationals from 2017 to 2023. He only became a regular, and played 31 matches just in the last one year, since Sreejesh retired. Now as the team’s No.2 keeper, he is keen to make up for lost time.
“The team trains with the core group. We learn everything together. So, that way I have learnt whatever knowledge or information has been imparted. It’s not like when you are out of the team you don’t get to learn anything because in camps we try to replicate the intensity of matches,” Karkera, who hails from Mumbai, told HT.
“It is a healthy competition (with Pathak). We are growing every match. He is very agile and quick. That is something I’d like to bring to my game. For quicker reflexes, we train a lot in the gym. It has become muscle memory now with so many repetitions in the camp.”
India’s goalkeeping coach Dennis van de Pol says that despite the change in roles, both are doing well.
“They’ve been working together for a long time. The last year hasn’t been different from before except that they play more games. They work great together and get along well. They’re both doing great, different roles now. A bit more pressure on them and becoming leaders in the defence,” said the Dutchman.
Their big test will come next year, at the Asian Games in Japan and the World Cup in The Netherlands.