Sreejesh: Important for junior players to dream big, target Olympics and Asian Games

India junior men’s hockey team coach P.R. Sreejesh on Tuesday said that winning the Junior World Cup bronze medal has instilled a renewed sense of belief among the young players.

Emphasizing the confidence the achievement has brought, he said: “Their confidence level is really high right now. They feel like they can achieve much more in their career and life. So, that’s a really good thing.”

While the belief within the group has grown, Sreejesh was equally clear that the campaign also offered important lessons. Stressing that the matches often have to be ruthlessly clinched rather than merely played well, he reflected on the areas the team still needs to sharpen.

“It doesn’t mean that you would win it as long as you are playing well. You just need to earn it. I mean, you need to steal the victory from the opposition. That’s really important. Against Germany (in the semifinal that India lost 1-5), we created opportunities, but we couldn’t convert them.

Tamil Nadu deputy CM MK Stalin felicitates P.R. Sreejesh at the Tamil Nadu Sports Conclave (TASCON) in Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
Velankanni Raj B.

“And the second thing is that in all those matches we had, we dominated the game, but we couldn’t show that on the scoreboard. So, scoreboard pressure is something we need to give more attention to, as well as the penalty corner,” he said on the sidelines of the second edition of the Tamil Nadu Sports Conclave (TASCON 2.0).

On how he sees the team’s evolution since taking over as coach, the 37-year-old pointed to a clear shift in the side’s approach.

“Their way of approaching the game has changed. You need a lot of mental preparation to approach a game. And that’s what we senior players always do – we share our experience, telling them how to prepare for a match. They have evolved a lot individually as well,” he said.

Detailing his role in preparing the youngsters for the realities of senior international hockey, he stressed that his responsibility goes beyond short-term results. With an eye on the tougher challenges that await them against the world’s top sides, he spoke about raising standards, refining fundamentals, and encouraging the players to set their sights high as they begin the next phase of their journey.

“My duty is to tell them what they need to expect in the future. If they are in the senior team, it’s not going to be easier like this. There will be tougher challenges. The European teams and Australia are far superior. You need to raise your level really high to cope with them. So, I prepare them to take up big challenges. And definitely, I trimmed their basics. I tried to rectify or correct them. Birendra Lakra (assistant coach) is there with me. So, he’s also helping me with the defensive part (of the game).

India men’s junior hockey team after winning the bronze medal.
| Photo Credit:
R. Ragu

“And when it comes to the mentor part, I always ask them to dream a lot. That is really important. To dream to play for our country in the upcoming Olympic Games and the Asian Games, that’s really important. This (Junior World Cup bronze) is the benchmark for them. This is the basic starting line for them. From here, they need to live up their life,” he said.

On the players he feels are ready to break into the senior core group, he said: “I should say that the majority of the players are good enough to be there in the senior core group. We have Prince Deep (goalkeeper) – he’s one of them. And in defence, captain Rohit. Midfielder Ankit (Pal) can be a part of the senior squad. Then, Manmeet (Singh) and Rosan (Kujur), the attacking midfielders. Arshdeep (Singh) in the forward line. These kids are good enough to be in the senior core group.”

Published on Dec 17, 2025