Former India hockey captain and legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has weighed in on the current debate on the new saffron-coloured jersey of the Indian national team. The decision of turning to the new saffron kit ahead of big international games had divided the nation and drew some national team’s fans’ opinions in the team and drew the anger of many, including former captain Viren Rasquinha and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who said that the national team’s history and identity is deeply rooted in the blue colour.
Hockey India defended the decision to switch to saffron saying they had discussed it thoroughly and in close consultation with the players and the support staff. Blue playing uniforms are often mixed with modern blue synthetic turf surfaces and therefore technical challenges of on-field visibility and clarity are made, the governing body stated.
Sreejesh said that the widespread outrage was largely uncalled for. Drawing on his own international career of many years in the game, the former custodian said he had been to many World Cups wearing different jersey colours there and never had any problem with their fans. Such a colour swap, he said, should not matter in case the team and coaching staff had been told to change it for comfort and the athletes themselves are on the pitch wearing it.
However, Sreejesh was somewhat sceptical about Hockey India's argument that blue jerseys were bad for visibility. As he had been through the season in blue, he felt the visibility argument was somewhat hard to accept as well. But he said if the playing group wanted the other kit and international federations agreed to it, the decision should be respected.
The veteran goalkeeper also spoke of the national federation's decision-making process that the national federation has with Hockey India and although the final authority is in the hands of Hockey India, we will need to consult the hockey legends in the sport who have a deep relationship to the history of the sport to make such big decisions regarding our country’s identity, the veteran goalkeeper also said.
Sreejesh said that saffron is an inherent part of the Indian flag. He told the critics to put politics aside and concentrate on athletes' comfort and performance. Whatever the colour of the uniform, a sportsperson’s job is to represent the country, win medals and bring glory to the country, and that’s all he said.
