Sreejesh said India must find the right balance between defending well and playing their attacking game
Published: August 18, 2026, 7:07 PM IST
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India’s goalkeeper Parattu Reveendran Sreejesh during his farewell ceremony hosted by Hockey India in New Delhi on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.(IANS/Wasim Sarvar)
India have moved past the late-game problems that once hurt them against Pakistan and are now better prepared to deal with their arch-rivals, former goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said ahead of their Hockey World Cup clash.
India and Pakistan will meet in their group-stage match in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on WednesdayThe rivalry has produced several close games over the years, but Sreejesh believes India have made enough progress to handle the pressure better.
The two-time Olympic bronze medallist said India have improved in key areas such as fitness, strength, game awareness and decision-making, which has helped them become more reliable in the closing stages of matches.
“Matches against Pakistan are not as tough as they used to be,” Sreejesh told JioStar.
“Conceding goals in the last quarter or final minutes used to be a problem for us, but that is no longer the caseNow, we are the ones scoring late to win matches,”
India’s struggles in the final stages of matches were a concern in the past, particularly when games were closely foughtSreejesh feels those issues have been addressed over time, with the introduction of the four-quarter format also playing a role.
“Earlier, during the 35-minute halves, we used to make mistakes due to fitness or poor decision-making and let in goalsBut since the four-quarter system came in, and even before that, we made big improvements in our fitness, strength, game awareness, and decision-making,” he said.
India-Pakistan matches have traditionally been decided by very small margins, with 1-0 and 2-1 results common between the two sidesWhile Sreejesh still respects Pakistan’s ability, he feels the current side does not have the same strength as previous Pakistan teams.
“In the past, India versus Pakistan games were tight, often ending 1-0 or 2-1Pakistan still have potential, but their current team’s level is not the same as before,” he said.
However, Sreejesh warned that India will need to improve their defensive organisation against the stronger European teams in the tournament.
India have been using a new formation for around a year and a halfAccording to Sreejesh, the system can sometimes push the team into a more defensive approach, although India have shown in the Pro League that they can also press high.
“The Indian men’s hockey team has been playing a new formation for the past year and a halfThat formation mostly forces us into defense, but in the recent Pro League, we pushed up and pressed hard in many matches,” he said.
Sreejesh said India must find the right balance between defending well and playing their attacking game.
“One important thing is that we need to stay compact in defense when playing against European teamsOtherwise, we should play our natural game in the World Cup.”
He also highlighted India’s zonal marking as an area that needs more work and better communication.
“In defence, we used zonal marking, so we need to improve our understanding in that areaWe should not drop too deepWe need to step out, press high, and defend even beyond the centre line,” he said.
When and where to watch India vs Pakistan?
India will take on Pakistan tomorrow (August 19) at the Wagener Stadium from 6:30PM (IST) onwardsThis match will be broadcasted live on the Star Sports and Jio Hotstar.
