New Delhi: Hockey India has retired celebrated goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh’s No. 16 jersey from the senior men’s team to honour his illustrious career, the highlight of which were the two bronze medals the team won in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics.
Parattu Ravindra Sreejesh, considered among the best goalkeepers in the history of the game, is now set to become the coach of the junior men’s hockey team.
Announcing its decision on X, India’s hockey association wrote: “An era of excellence ends as Hockey India retires the iconic No. 16 jersey of PR Sreejesh. From impossible saves to inspiring generations, Sreejesh’s legacy will forever be etched in the history of Indian hockey.”
An era of excellence ends as Hockey India retires the iconic No. 16 jersey of PR Sreejesh. From impossible saves to inspiring generations, Sreejesh’s legacy will forever be etched in the history of Indian hockey. 🏑🇮🇳 #IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #SreejeshFelicitation… pic.twitter.com/yelBLMtAAq
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 14, 2024
“Retiring” a number is a tribute paid to an athlete, especially after they have left the sport, or passed away. The number worn by that player is taken out of circulation, and no future player can wear it without the original sports person’s permission. In most cases, the number is not used at all.
The 36-year-old from Kerala, whose distinguished career spanned 18 years, had announced before the Olympics that he would call it quits at the end of India’s campaign.
“This is the better way to finish,” the iconic Indian goalkeeper said last week, ruling out any possibility of reconsidering his decision after India’s second successive bronze medal in the Olympic Games.
In Sreejesh’s last match, India beat Spain 2-1 in the third-place play-off to win back-to-back bronze medals. The last time an Indian hockey team pulled off consecutive Olympic podium finishes was back in 1972.
Incidentally, no cricketer has taken the No. 10 jersey of “master blaster” Sachin Tendulkar even 10 years after his retirement from the game.
The number is as good as “retired”, though players are under no compulsion to not wear it.
Also read: Vinesh is a real fighter, she deserves a medal: Sreejesh