Hockey India retires Sreejesh's No.16 jersey at senior level; names him junior coach

NEW DELHI: Hockey India on Wednesday decided to retire the jersey number of goalkeeping stalwart P R Sreejesh at the senior level after he bid adieu to the game following his starring role in the country's second consecutive Olympic bronze at the just-concluded Paris Games.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said going forward no senior team player will be given the number 16 jersey although it will remain in circulation at the junior level.

He also announced that the affable 36-year-old, who competed for nearly two decades, will take up the role of the junior national coach.

"Sreejesh is now going to be the junior team coach and we are retiring the No. 16 jersey for the senior team. We are not retiring No. 16 for the junior team," said Singh at a felicitation function for the veteran and other members of the team.

"Sreejesh dusra Sreejesh ko paida karega in junior team (Sreejesh will groom someone like him in the junior team who will wear the No.16 jersey)," he added.

The players, who were present at the ceremony, wore identical red jerseys with Sreejesh's name on the back as a mark of respect for the veteran from Kerala.