CHENNAI: Moments before the big game against Pakistan on Wednesday, special invitee and Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin stood at the centre of the pitch to wait for his good friend PR Sreejesh, and the two exchanged a hug. White it warmed the hearts of millions, the moment also highlighted the contribution Sreejesh has made to the sport and the kind of respect he commands from fellow sportspersons of an equally legendary status.
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When the veteran Indian custodian steps onto the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium pitch on Friday in India's semifinal against Japan, it will be the 300th international appearance for former India captain Sreejesh in a decorated career spanning almost two decades.
The moment will be nostalgic for the 35-year-old Sreejesh in more ways than one.
While Sreejesh comes from Kerala, he is registered as a player with the Tamil Nadu state hockey federation, during which time he played domestic hockey for the Indian Overseas Bank. Those memories will come flooding back in his 300th game for India.
"This remarkable achievement is a testament to his unwavering dedication, exceptional skills and unyielding passion for the sport," wrote former India coach and current USA men's team coach Harendra Singh in a Facebook post.
"Sreejesh has not only guarded the Indian goalpost with unparalleled prowess, but has also inspired countless aspiring athletes across the nation," added Harendra, who fondly calls Sreejesh 'Jangoo'.
But the larger aim of the game on Friday is to qualify for the final and beat Japan, which is the only team India hasn't beaten in this competition so far and managed to check India's tactics.
The league-stage meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw, but the home team's Chief Coach Craig Fulton believes if his boys can show some better scoring consistency than their previous match against Japan in the tournament, then the final scoreline should be in their favour.
The head-to-head may be heavily loaded in India's favour but the reigning Asian Games champions are no push-overs, and can unsettle any team with their speed and stamina on the pitch.
In 34 matches between the two teams, India have won 27 and lost only 3. The other four games ended as drawn affairs.
1/10:Asian Champions Trophy: India face Japan in semi-final
AP
2/10:India vs Japan
<p>Maintaining intensity and consistency would be India's targets when the hosts take on Japan in the Asian Champions Trophy semi-final in Chennai on Friday. </p>AP
3/10:India favourites
<p>No doubt, India will start as favourites after their unbeaten run in the round-robin stage, winning four matches and drawing one to top the points table. </p>AP
4/10:India wary of Japan
<p>India would be wary of Japan, the only side the hosts have not beaten. The league match between the two sides had ended in a 1-1 draw. </p>AP
5/10:World rankings
<p>There is a wide gap in the world rankings between the two teams as India are at fourth spot as against 19 of Japan. </p>AFP
6/10:Avoid history
<p>India should not forget that they had lost to Japan 3-5 in the semifinals of the 2021 edition in Dhaka after thrashing their opponents 6-0 in the league stage. </p>PTI
7/10:Most number of goals
<p>India have scored the most number of goals -- 20 -- so far in this tournament but they missed chances galore against Japan in their league match. </p>PTI
8/10:Amends by India
<p>And India will have to make amends of their poor finishing against the same opponents on Friday. </p>PTI
9/10:Penalty corner problem
<p>India could utilise just one of the 15 penalty corners they had earned against Japan in the earlier match and will have to find ways to score from the PCs. </p>PTI
10/10:Better goal difference
<p>Japan sneaked into the semifinals ahead of Pakistan on better goal difference, though the two sides collected five points each. </p>TNNHarmanpreet Singh will remain the biggest threat for the Japanese Samurai if the Indian forwards can create enough penalty corners, which is where Japan would want to fortify their defence and reduce the number of Indian circle penetrations.
With 7 goals, the tournament's top goal-scorer Harmanpreet has been the toast of the Chennai crowd over the last week. Led by his drag-flick dominance, India also head the overall scoring charts with 20 goals, which include 14 off penalty corners -- again the most by any of the six teams in the competition.
That helped India to four wins in five league games and finish on top of the points table with 13 points, followed by Malaysia, who had 12, while No. 3 South Korea and No. 4 Japan had five points each and were separated by goal difference.
South Korea will take on Malaysia in the first semifinal on Friday, preceded by the 5th-6th playoff game between China and Pakistan.
Japan must thank India for their top-four finish to qualify for the semis because it was India's overwhelming 4-0 win over Pakistan that allowed Japan to leapfrog Pakistan, who also had five points, on goal difference.
But the teams would like to bury those numbers and focus on the match that matters.
In coach Fulton's words: "The tournament starts now".
