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Virat Kohli's penchant for perfection inspires Indian hockey star PR Sreejesh

Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, is one of the admirers of Virat Kohli and he wants to emulate the cricketer's strive for perfection.

PR Sreejesh is an admirer of Virat Kohlis penchant for perfection, wishes to emulate India cricket captain

New Delhi, August 30: India captain and batting mainstay Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch at the moment with the bat as the swashbuckler is struggling to score big runs in the ongoing Test series against England, but there's no dearth of admiration for the modern-day cricket legend.

The 32-year-old is one of the most prolific batsmen in world cricket and he boasts an average of above-50 in all formats of the game. Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, is one of the admirers of Kohli and he wants to emulate the cricketer's strive for perfection.

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Speaking to Olympics.com, the legendary India hockey custodian said, "Virat Kohli is really good. He is a person who tries to play each ball perfectly. It doesn't matter if he is playing Bangladesh or Australia, he will give his best shot. That's the best thing you can learn."

The shot-stopper was in a rich vein of form at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and his heroics at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo helped Team India finish on the podium after a gap of 41 years. Right from the first match against New Zealand to the bronze medal playoff against Germany, barring the fixture against Australia, he had been in sublime form, making numerous saves throughout the tournament.

In fact, with just seven seconds to the final hooter, the Germans had won a penalty corner. India had to protect a narrow one-goal lead at this point. The drag-flick from Germany's Lukas Windfeder looked to be heading into the goal but an alert Sreejesh made a terrific save to help India clinch a bronze medal.

"Was it the most important save in my career? Umm, you can say that now. That save has its own importance. Because an Olympic medal is the biggest medal that one can win. That save helped me to win the medal and it is the biggest day of my life," he expressed.

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Although it is almost three weeks since India won the medal, the Kerala-born keeper accepts that he needs more time to adjust himself to the reality that in his third Olympic appearance he has finally guided India to a medal.

"It is a different feeling altogether. I have waited for this moment as a fan and as a player for far too long. And finally, when you get to touch that medal it is going to be different. I am still on cloud nine," he laughed.

The 33-year old is an avid reader as well. After a hard day's training, he finds solace in books. Andre Agassi's 'Open' is one of his favourites and before heading to Tokyo he finished Lance Armstrong's 'Every Second Counts'.

"I read a lot. I like to read autobiographies and self-development books. Open helped me get through my ACL injury and Armstrong's 'Every Second Counts is an incredible book. It is so much related to hockey as in hockey also every second counts. I also read fiction but these two genres I prefer the most. It is so much related to hockey as in hockey also every second counts."

And who else knows it better than Sreejesh? Those seven seconds against Germany have changed the complexion of his entire life.

Story first published: Monday, August 30, 2021, 14:20 [IST]
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