Learned so much from goalkeeper PR Sreejesh
New Delhi — Karnataka goalkeeper H.S. Mohit is set to fulfill a dream at just 24: playing his first Hockey World Cup for India. Mohit and the more experienced Suraj Karkera have been picked as India’s two goalkeepers for the FIH Belgium and Netherlands Hockey World Cup 2026, running from August 15 to 30.
While Mohit doesn’t carry the same experience as Karkera, his composure between the posts has caught everyone’s attention. His grit and determination pushed the national selectors to back him, and now he’s eager to make the most of his World Cup opportunity. India has won the title only once, back in 1975, when Ashok Kumar’s decisive goal sealed a 2-1 win over Pakistan in the final.
India closed out its 2025-26 FIH Pro Hockey League campaign on a high, with memorable wins over the Netherlands, Germany, and England — a run that has the team heading into the World Cup full of confidence.
Talking about the team’s preparation, Mohit said beating the Netherlands and Germany in the Pro League gave the squad a big confidence boost. He feels the team is ready for the World Cup, and that his personal goal is simple: give everything he has for India whenever he takes the field. Representing India as a goalkeeper at a major tournament had long been his dream — one that grew stronger after India finished fourth, without a medal, at the Junior World Cup he played in. He said this is the biggest opportunity he’s had yet, and that he’ll try to help bring the world title back to India.
Mohit’s journey into goalkeeping happened almost by accident. It began in school — he was tall for his age, and with no dedicated goalkeeper on the team, his coach figured his height made him a natural fit to guard the goal. That chance turn soon blossomed into a serious career. Before earning a senior India call-up, he represented the country at the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup.
He also spoke warmly of the influence of PR Sreejesh, the goalkeeper who helped India win bronze at two Olympics and has inspired the next generation. “We learned so much from Sreejesh as a goalkeeper,” Mohit said. “It’s not that just because he performed brilliantly for India, we feel pressure to fill his shoes. We’ll give it everything on the field at the World Cup and see what happens.”
