PR Sreejesh Urges India to ‘Stay on Their Toes’ Ahead of Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup Opener

As India prepares to open its Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup campaign in Chennai and Madurai on November 28, head coach PR Sreejesh has urged the squad to stay sharp, respect every opponent, and rely on their own strengths to go deep in the tournament. India, who have lifted the Junior World Cup title twice—with their last triumph in 2016—enter the competition ranked No. 2 in the U-21 category, behind defending champions Germany.

India’s first challenge will come against Chile on Friday. Speaking ahead of the opener, Sreejesh made it clear that rankings hold little significance once players step onto the turf.

“Rankings don’t speak anything because what truly matters is how you perform on that particular day,” Sreejesh said, stressing that high intensity and mental readiness will define India’s campaign. “Chile or any other opponent—we must respect them all. We have seen their videos; they play attacking hockey. But our focus should remain on how we execute our plans.”

The veteran goalkeeper-turned-coach emphasised that India must “play our own game, stay on our toes, and respect opponents” in every match.

Learning from the Sultan of Johor Cup

India recently finished runners-up in the Sultan of Johor Cup, a performance Sreejesh believes highlighted both progress and areas that need tightening—especially in converting penalty corners.

“We trained hard after the Sultan of Johor Cup. I will not give excuses, but scoring conditions there were affected by some ground issues,” he said. Despite the absence of top drag-flicker Araijeet Singh Hundal, Sreejesh said India’s bench strength in penalty corner specialists—“6 to 7 drag-flickers”—ensures the team remains well-equipped.

Smooth Transition to Coaching

Reflecting on his coaching journey, Sreejesh said the junior squad adapted quickly to his methods, crediting their work ethic and unity throughout the year. Having known most players from his time training at the same Bengaluru facility, he acknowledges the shift in perspective when moving from playing for the senior team to guiding the juniors.

“A coach never adjusts to 40 players; it’s the players who adjust to the coach,” he said. “This team has worked hard throughout the year. Ups and downs are part of learning, but their growth has been fantastic.”

India will also face Oman and Switzerland during the group stage as the quest for a third World Cup title begins.