The Prince in No. 16: Young goalkeeper channels coach and idol Sreejesh’s spirit as India enter Junior World Cup semifinals | Hockey News
Princedeep Singh grew up wanting to be like PR Sreejesh. So much so that the rookie goalkeeper even got the legendary Indian custodian’s jersey number — 16 — on his back. And now, in the team coached by Sreejesh, Princedeep has emerged as a standout performer. On Friday, the 21-year-old goalkeeper shot himself into the limelight with a sensational display in the tie-breaker as India defeated Belgium in a thrilling quarterfinal of the FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai. The number 16, made famous by Sreejesh, has a special place even for Princedeep. “I started playing Hockey around 2015 in Chima Academy in Batala and I actually played full-back for a year. At the same time, I also used to play football during the weekends, and I was good at goalkeeping because of my height, which is how my interest developed. Then I took up hockey goalkeeping in 2016,” Princedeep tells The Indian Express. “At that time, I used to watch the Indian team at the 2016 Olympic Games and I wanted to be like …
