India can reclaim Olympic hockey gold, but next three years are crucial | Interview

India has the talent to reclaim Olympic hockey gold, but the road to Los Angeles 2028 will demand harder work, deeper squad strength, and sharper preparation. With qualification routes tightening and expectations rising, the coming years will test whether India can truly convert potential into dominance. The Federal spoke to PR Sreejesh, former India goalkeeper and two-time Olympic bronze medallist, about the state of Indian hockey after his retirement, the team’s Olympic prospects, his transition into coaching, and India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

The team is preparing for the Asian Games and the senior World Cup this year. The Asian Games are especially important because that is where we get direct qualification for the Olympic Games. Other continental tournaments are also important, and so far the team’s performance has been really good. We are looking forward to the World Cup as well, and the preparation is moving in the right direction.

My role is similar in some ways, but the biggest difference is that I am no longer working on the field. I now work off the field. Coaching is very different from playing because, during your playing career, you only focus on yourself—your performance, your recovery, and your body.

When you become a coach, it's about 34 players and the entire support staff. You have to understand everyone’s life, their circumstances, and what they are going through. You have to figure out how you can help each of them become a better player.

It is more challenging. You also spend much more time in front of a laptop. You need to analyse the game, work on virtual simulations, plan for the future, and create training programmes and workouts. It is demanding, but I enjoy it. As a goalkeeper, communication was always important for me, and that helps a lot in coaching as well.

That is the ultimate aim for every Indian coach. When you work with juniors, gain enough experience, and feel that you are ready to manage at the highest level, that is what everyone looks forward to.

Right now, my focus is on the junior programme leading up to the 2027 Junior World Cup. My responsibility is to develop and produce more talented players for the senior team so that India’s future is in the right hands.

We are definitely expecting that, but we still have a lot of work to do. There are almost three years left until Los Angeles, and the players will have to work extremely hard.

We need to add a lot of strength and find solutions within the team. That said, we do have the potential and we do have talented players in the squad. If they continue to progress, they can bring the gold medal back to India.

I think India can develop the infrastructure within the next 10 years. If we are bidding for the 2036 Olympics, we still have sufficient time to prepare.

But infrastructure alone is not enough. The bigger challenge is developing enough talented athletes to compete at that level. Right now, India sends around 130 to 140 athletes to the Olympics. If you are hosting the Games, you should aim to have around 400 athletes qualifying.

It is not just about hosting or winning medals. It is about building a strong sporting ecosystem. India is on the right track. The government is doing a good job by providing facilities and opportunities to youngsters, helping them work hard from a young age and become real competitors at the Olympic level.

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