In a conversation with Cricket World Cup winner Dinesh Karthik on JioCinema\u2019s \u2018Get Set Gold\u2019, Sreejesh revealed the tough journey he had to endure between Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, marked by a career-threatening knee injury in 2017.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn a tournament in 2017, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, we played against Australia, and I had a collision with one of their players. I suffered an ACL, MCL, and meniscus tear on my right knee. The next day, I took an MRI scan for the injury and the coach came and said, \u2018Sree, it's a grade 3 injury.\u2019 Grade 3 means you can't rehab it, you need to go for a reconstruction surgery. Then, as long as I knew about the ACL injury, it's a career-threatening one,\u201d Sreejesh said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sreejesh dealt with many struggles while returning to fitness, especially with the worry that he would be replaced in his absence. But the birth of his son led to a shift in mindset, as he told Karthik.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAt that time, I was the captain of the team. Everything was going smoothly, but suddenly this happened. It was a dark time. Suddenly, you're nowhere and you have a lot of negativities in your mind. And you know how the media is, in one tournament, where the other goalkeeper plays well, they'll replace you. They'll forget you, and then start writing that, \u2018We've got a new wall of Indian hockey.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Then I thought, \u2018What should I do now?\u2019 Luckily, I was blessed with a boy at that time. So, I spent that first month with him and that was a good distraction for me. Then I started to read. I read Open by Andre Agassi. I read that he went through so many injuries and came back to become world number one. Then somewhere, I felt like, okay, you can also do that,\" the goalkeeper said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tokyo 2020 led to India\u2019s biggest field hockey achievement in decades, with Sreejesh at the centre of it. He shared his thoughts on the emotional moment when they finally brought Olympic glory back to Indian hockey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt was like a relief. They scored, we scored, that was like a tennis match\u2026 In the last few seconds, the technical table made an error and the stopwatch stopped. But the umpire asked us to play on. There was a penalty corner with six seconds left. Then it's all about, the goalkeeper\u2026... I was like, we got one more match, we got one more chance to win a medal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"And before the match, in the team meeting, Graham (Reid), our team coach, had said, \u2018Everyone stand on their chairs. Just close your eyes and feel it like somebody is putting that bronze medal.\u2019 Everyone got goosebumps at that moment. You feel, okay, we are getting it and just go for it. If I close my eyes, I can still feel that moment. I was like, okay, we got a medal, what is next? The team is capable of winning a medal in Paris, but the journey towards that, it's not easy. The one who takes advantage on the day will be the real champion,\" he said<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sreejesh is expected to represent India in men\u2019s hockey in Paris 2024. India are slotted in Group B with Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland, as they hope to make a deep run into the medal rounds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sreejesh-opens-up-on-dark-time-of-his-career-andre-agassis-role-in-his-comeback.png", "alt_img": "Sreejesh opens up on 'dark time' of his career, Andre Agassi's role in his comeback", "alt_title": "PR Sreejesh meets David Lee; discusses Olympic year pressure", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "Sreejesh Opens Up On 'dark Time' Of His Career, Andre Agassi's Role In His Comeback On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "Sreejesh Opens Up On 'dark Time' Of His Career, Andre Agassi's Role In His Comeback, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: India won their first Olympic medal in men's field hockey since 1972 -- a bronze medal.", "seo_keywords": "Andre Agassi, New Delhi, PR Sreejesh, Cricket World Cup, Dinesh Karthik, Get Set Gold, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, New Zealand", "tag": "", "tagging": "Andre Agassi, New Delhi, PR Sreejesh, Cricket World Cup, Dinesh Karthik, Get Set Gold, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, New Zealand", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "sreejesh-opens-up-on-dark-time-of-his-career-andre-agassis-role-in-his-comeback", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "877", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2024-05-30 19:52:03", "updated": "2024-05-30 19:52:03", "img_from": "Image Source: IANS", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "Andre Agassi, New Delhi, PR Sreejesh, Cricket World Cup, Dinesh Karthik, Get Set Gold, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, New Zealand", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "1", "google_feed": "1", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "23", "jio_date": "2024-05-30 19:52:03", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/sreejesh-opens-up-on-dark-time-of-his-career-andre-agassis-role-in-his-comeback-145569" }