Sreejesh — keeper of India’s fortunes

Harendra admits switching gears between games is not easy

Pivotal player: Given his expertise, India’s coaches have preferred P.R. Sreejesh to guard the citadel in almost all its matches.

In its World Cup opener against South Africa, India goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh got a grand total of four shots at him. For a long time, the team has depended on him under the bar to stay alive in competitions.

Given India’s obsession with results in any tournament, no coach has tried to risk playing the second goalkeeper at length.

That has left not just Sreejesh overworked and riddled with injuries but also the second line — Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera at the moment — devoid of crucial match practice under pressure.

“Now it is not like that. At the Asian Champions Trophy we played both Pathak and Sreejesh in each half. At the Asian Games also, he got enough chances to play. We are not really worried about the second line but when the main goalkeeper is available, no team will risk not playing him. At the same time, if the need arises, someone has to step up and be counted. That’s the only way,” India coach Harendra Singh insisted.

Specialist job

Goalkeeping has remained a specialist job in most teams. Pakistan depends on Imran Butt. Holland’s go-to man remains Pirmin Blaak. Belgium would not think of replacing Vincent Vanasche. And David Harte is Ireland’s talisman.

At the moment, Australia seem to be the only team with two custodians at the same level — Andrew Charter and Tyler Lovell.

Malaysia got a chance to test Hairi during the ACT due to Kumar Subramaniam’s injury.

“It was a good outing for Hairi and I won’t be reluctant to put him in any match here at any moment.

“He is ready for the job,” coach Roelant Oltmans insisted.

Sreejesh himself admitted it gets difficult sometimes. “Normally we try to stay focussed by communicating with the defenders.

Be alert

“But in a place like Bhubaneswar, where the crowd makes so much noise, that isn’t easy. So we try other ways, get alert the moment the ball crosses our 25-yard line. With a bigger team like Belgium, the intensity is more, there we get alert the moment the ball crosses the half line,” Sreejesh said.

Harendra admitted switching gears between games is not easy. “A goalkeeper needs to face balls and get the chance to move around to stay match-active.

“When it doesn’t happen in competition, we try to make up during training. But it is difficult and that’s where the mental strength and focus of the player comes into play,” he said.

So how does he rate India’s back-up?

“For us, the difference between Sreejesh and the other two at the moment is 40-60. And those are odds I don’t mind for the second line,” Harendra said.