India staying centered in Rio 'enchantment world'

India staying centered in Rio 'enchantment world'

MUMBAI: PR Sreejesh says his double part as India hockey commander and goalkeeper is to permit his buddies the flexibility to communicate in Rio yet knows he should keep them concentrated on the decoration chase in the "enchantment world" of the Olympics. 

The 30-year-old was second decision at London 2012 behind then commander Bharat Chetri however has following built up himself as the reasonable number one. 

He was named chief for the late Champions Trophy in London where India rested a few seniors, including consistent commander Sardar Singh, in front of the Rio Games. 

While Sreejesh drove the side to the bit decoration, as India lost the last to Australia in a punishment shoot-out, he said he never envisioned it would prompt him wearing the armband at the Rio Games as well. 

"I never expected it," Sreejesh told Reuters in a late meeting. "I have dependably said being a piece of the group and winning a decoration for my nation was my first inclination. 

"I never longed for captaining the group and driving the side in the Olympics. It's an amazing privilege." 

Sreejesh has been a stone for India before objective since making the lesser national group in 2004. It took him another couple of years to make the cut for the senior side. 

He made significant recoveries amid the 2014 Asian Games last when India beat most outstanding adversaries Pakistan, which fixed their spot for Rio. In 2015, Sreejesh got the Arjuna recompense for his commitment to the national group. 

Sreejesh said the captaincy would not impact his part. 

"I am a goalkeeper. My first obligation is to spare the objective," he said by phone from the group's preparation camp in Bengaluru. "The second is to speak with my guards and sort out them. 

"Third is I have to give them certainty as a goalkeeper. I think as skipper too I need to do these three things. There is no additional weight on me. 

"It's about giving them the opportunity to do what they need. 

"Olympics is a spot where you can be effortlessly occupied to a ton of things and it will appear like an enchantment world. It will all be about reminding them our objective as a group." 

India are the most adorned country in the game's Olympic history however the South Asians gathered the remainder of their eight gold decorations back at the Moscow Games in 1980. 

In the wake of neglecting to meet all requirements for Beijing, India made it to London four years after the fact however completed last of the 12 nations partaking. 

India, who are in Pool B in Rio alongside Argentina, Canada, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, have made idealism back home thanks after a solid develop to the Games. 

Sreejesh feels India have the right harmony amongst youth and experience, with various players from London 2012 still part of the blend for Rio. 

Consistency will be the key, he included. 

"The last couple of years has given us certainty. We have beaten all the top groups and won awards," he included. 

"It has given us certainty that now we are prepared to beat any group and we will convey that to Rio."