Former India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has questioned the lack of accountability after both the Indian men's and women's teams exited the Hockey World Cup. In a strongly worded post on X, Sreejesh said the World Cup should not be treated as a learning exercise and asked whether Indian hockey is serious about beating the best teams in the world.
Sreejesh said the focus should not simply shift to the upcoming Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after the World Cup exits. He questioned whether winning a medal at the Asian Games would be enough to "cover everything that went wrong at the World Cup."
He also raised concerns about the Indian women's team and the timing of the chief coach's absence before the World Cup. Sreejesh praised the players for fighting hard and exceeding expectations but questioned where the accountability lies if the chief coach was away during the final stage of preparations.
The former goalkeeper also questioned the way the men's team's results are viewed. He said defeats against top teams are often called "learning experiences", while wins against Asian teams are celebrated as "great victories".
He asked whether India are building a team that can simply play good hockey or one that can actually beat the best teams in the world.
Sreejesh ended his post with a strong message, saying that the World Cup is not a rehearsal. He asked who will raise the difficult questions, who will demand accountability and, most importantly, whether anyone actually cares.
His comments have come after India's men's and women's teams ended their respective World Cup campaigns without reaching the semi-finals.
Sreejesh, who played a key role in India's success before retiring from international hockey, has now called for a serious review of the teams' performances and preparation.
