📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Hockey India
Sports
India's Hockey World Cup Campaign Highlights Absence of PR Sreejesh
✍️ India Today
🗓 31 Aug 2026, 05:18 AM
👁 8
India's performance at the Hockey World Cup underscored the void left by defender PR Sreejesh, whose absence was felt throughout the tournament.
India entered the Hockey World Cup with high expectations, but the tournament quickly revealed a lingering gap in the squad. The team struggled to replicate its usual defensive solidity, a shortfall many observers linked to the continued absence of veteran defender PR Sreejesh.
Sreejesh, a mainstay in India's backline for several years, has been sidelined due to injury and has not featured in the World Cup lineup. His experience and leadership on the field are widely regarded as pivotal for organizing the defence and guiding younger players.
Throughout the group stage, India's backcourt appeared unsettled, conceding goals at moments when tighter marking might have altered outcomes. Coaches and analysts noted that the lack of Sreejesh's positional awareness and communication contributed to lapses that opponents exploited.
The campaign ends with India reflecting on the need to rebuild its defensive core. While the team remains optimistic about future tournaments, the World Cup has reinforced the importance of reintegrating seasoned players like Sreejesh once they are fit, to restore balance and confidence in the side.
Sreejesh, a mainstay in India's backline for several years, has been sidelined due to injury and has not featured in the World Cup lineup. His experience and leadership on the field are widely regarded as pivotal for organizing the defence and guiding younger players.
Throughout the group stage, India's backcourt appeared unsettled, conceding goals at moments when tighter marking might have altered outcomes. Coaches and analysts noted that the lack of Sreejesh's positional awareness and communication contributed to lapses that opponents exploited.
The campaign ends with India reflecting on the need to rebuild its defensive core. While the team remains optimistic about future tournaments, the World Cup has reinforced the importance of reintegrating seasoned players like Sreejesh once they are fit, to restore balance and confidence in the side.