Moments after Dutch legend Teun de Nooijers testimonial match last June in Rotterdam,former Argentina striker Jorge Lombi told Sardar Singh something that didnt surprise the India skipper one bit. Lombi rated PR Sreejesh as one of the best goalkeepers in the world at present,second only to Hollands Jaap Stockmann.
Having witnessed Sreejeshs growth as a player first hand,Sardar nodded his approval,knowing that the 27-year-old custodian was going through one of the best phases of his career.
By producing a man-of-the-match performance against South Korea in the Asia Cup on Monday,Sreejesh added more weight to his burgeoning international reputation. The 27-year-old pulled off nearly a dozen stupendous saves against South Korea,five of them from penalty corners in the first half itself.
Being the undisputed best in the country has been both a boon and a curse for Sreejesh. Over the last 12 months,he has cemented his position as the first choice keeper. With no one challenging him,complacency has often crept in and reflected in his performance.
Lack of consistency has been the biggest drawback in Sreejeshs otherwise flawless game. One good performance is followed by two bad outings,often leaving him and the coaching staff frustrated. A good start to the Hockey India League was soon forgotten with a dismal finish to the inaugural edition of the tournament. A brilliant outing at Azlan Shah was followed up with a below-par show at the World League semifinals. However,he was able to salvage some pride with a stellar show against Spain in the final match,which India lost in tie-breaks.
This is where Dave Staniforth,the newly-appointed goalkeeping coach,will play a crucial role. Sreejesh and other Indian goalkeepers have rued the lack of goalkeeping specialists with the national team. However,the South Africans presence in the support staff already seems to be having a positive effect on the goalkeepers.
Sreejeshs stupendous effort against South Korea could come to nought if he comes up with an indifferent performance in the business end of the Asia Cup,where they cannot afford any slip-ups. For he is also the custodian of Indias dream of qualifying for the World Cup.
Mihir is a senior correspondent based in Mumbai mihir.vasavda@expressindia.com
