Dhanraj Pillay had tears of heartbreak when India missed out on a potential semi-final berth at Sydney Olympics conceding a goal against Poland in the dying moments after leading for 69 minutes. That was the closest that Dhanraj, an all-time hockey great had come to an Olympic medal. (Full Olympics Coverage | More Sports News)
On Sunday, as India doggedly defended for 42 minutes with 9 men on the outfield and the special man named PR Sreejesh, who keeps raising the "bar", the former centre forward couldn't hold back his tears watching his team make it to the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics.
"I couldn't s🍌top my tears. I have never seen such performance in many years and now I ♋am convinced that this team can bring us the Olympic gold after 44 years," the former India skipper said.
As soon as Rajkumar Pal scored the winning goal in the shoot-off, an emotional Dhanraj, glued to the TV at home, jumped for joy.
"Tears started falling from my eyes automatically. I saw such a match for the first time after the Sydney Olympics 2000. Sreejesh was standing like a wall in front of the goalpost and the number of saves he made is nothing short of a miracle," Dhanraj, who has played four Olympics and four World Cups, told PTI Bh💝asha.
"I had goosebumps while watching🌃 the match. I was so happy that I started shouting loudly after India's fourth goal in the penalty shootout. I was told that people in my society apartment would come out but I was so happy that I could💟 not control,” said the veteran, who never ever got a chance to play even a semi-final.
Eight-time champion India won the last Olympic 🧸gold in Moscowไ in 1980 and after 41 years Indian team brought a bronze medal from the Tokyo Games in 2020.
"After many years, I enjoyed th𝓀e match to the fullest. I did🦋 not move from my place even for a minute, " he said while trying to control his emotions.
He was short of words while praising Harmanpreet Singh and company.
"I have no words to praise this performance. Playing ov🍷er 40 minutes of the quarter-final with 10 players was not easy. We were defensive but that was necessary. The way Sreejesh and our defen🐻ders played today and the way all four of them showed amazing skills in the penalty shootout. I am speechless", he said.
When asked what advice he w🐈ould give to the team for the semi-fꦅinals, he said, "I would advise them to play in the same way and not put any pressure on themselves. The way this team has played these six matches, I am sure that it can bring us the Olympic gold medal after 44 years."
"This team has everything that is needed to become an Olympic c✤hampion. Along with the players, I was seeing Craig Fulton and Shivendra Singh in the coaching staff, how full of energy they were and how they were constantly standing and giving instr🧔uctions," he said.
For Dhanraj, PR Sreejesh now enjoys leg🅠endary status in Indiℱan hockey.
"Indian hockey h🔴as produced many great players, but I would put Sreejesh in the categor🉐y of legend. A player like him comes once in a generation," he was forthright in his assessment.
After defeating Australia in the Olympics after 52 years in the last pool match, Sreejesh had said that he is thওe Dhanraj Pilla🅘y of this generation of players.
"This is a big compliment for me. If someone is appreciating my contribution in this way and𓂃 that too a player like Sreejesh, then it is a matter of great pride. Now this team꧃ should win gold for Sreejesh and Manpreet Singh," he added.
