Hockey: Suraj Karkera steps out of the shadow to stake his claim as India’s first-choice goalkeeper
Despite making his debut in 2017, Suraj Karkera has spent the entirety of his career so far as India’s third choice goalkeeper.
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One of the most endearing images of India’s Paris Olympic campaign was that of Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh hoisting goalkeeper PR Sreejesh on his shoulders after India won bronze.
Sreejesh had just played his final match for India, ending a storied career which saw him win two Olympic bronze medals. It was a fairytale end to the career of one of India’s beloved sports heroes.
Nearly 8,000 kilometres away in Bengaluru, Suraj Karkera watched with pride, happiness and maybe even a bit of relief as Sreejesh bowed out on a high. It was finally Karkera’s time to stake his claim as India’s No 1 goalkeeper.
First up in his journey would be the Asian Champions Trophy held in Hulubuir City in China, a tournament the Indians went on to win after beating the hosts 1-0 in the final.
“Sreejesh bhai has gone and he has left big shoes to fill,” Karkera told Scroll ahead of the team’s departure for China. “He’s raised the bar of goalkeeping. [Krishan] Pathak and I have been together since 2015 and we have been fighting for [the second goalkeeper’s spot] since then.
“Life as a goalkeeper is like a lot about patience and perseverance. You have to keep doing it day in and day out, irrespective of whether...
