Hockey India announced on Wednesday that they would retire the jersey number of legendary goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, following his retirement after playing a crucial role in securing India’s second consecutive Olympic bronze at the recently concluded Paris Games. The No. 16 jersey, which Sreejesh proudly wore for nearly two decades, will be retired for the senior national team.

Hockey India’s Secretary General, Bhola Nath Singh, also revealed that the 36-year-old Sreejesh would be the junior national coach. However, the No. 16 jersey will still be available for junior players. “Sreejesh will groom the next Sreejesh in the junior team, who will wear the No. 16 jersey,” Singh remarked during a ceremony honoring the veteran goalkeeper.

Sreejesh, a long-time hero for India, has set an eight-year timeline for himself before considering a role as the national team coach. He also expressed his ambition to lead India as a coach in the 2036 Olympics. “I want to become a coach. That was always my plan but now there is a question of when. After retirement, family comes first. I need to talk with them if they are OK with this. Now you have to listen to your wife a little bit,” Sreejesh told PTI.

“The way I wanted is start with the juniors, and Rahul Dravid is an example. It’s like you develop a bunch of players, get them into the senior team and let them follow you,” he said.

“I start this year, next in 2025, we have the junior World Cup and in another two years, the senior team will be playing the World Cup. So may be, by 2028, I can produce 20 or 40 players and by 2029, I can have 15-20 players into the senior team and by 2030 almost like 30-35 players in the senior side.

“And 2032, I will be ready for the chief coach’s position. If India gets to host the 2036 Olympic Games, I want to be the India coach,” Sreejesh added.

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