Rajgir: Indian goalkeeper Krishnan B Pathak has marked a major career milestone by completing 150 international appearances, reaching the feat during India’s group-stage clash against Japan at the Hero Men’s Asia Cup in Rajgir.
The 28-year-old from Kapurthala, Punjab, has become a central figure in Indian hockey since breaking into the senior side in 2018. His achievement was formally recognised on Sunday by Hockey India, with the governing body hailing his role in India’s successes across the past decade.
Pathak, who first came to prominence as part of the gold-winning junior squad at the 2016 FIH Junior World Cup in Lucknow, has since amassed a formidable record. He was part of the Indian teams that secured gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022 and back-to-back Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2023 and 2024. He also helped India to silver at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and played at the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
He twice won the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year and, in 2024, was recognised with the Arjuna Award. His rise to becoming India’s first-choice goalkeeper came after the retirement of PR Sreejesh following the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“This is a very special moment for me and my family,” Pathak said. “Representing India 150 times was a dream I never imagined when I started playing hockey in Kapurthala. Every match is a matter of pride, but this milestone is special as it has come during such an important tournament for us.”
Hockey India president Dr Dilip Tirkey described him as “one of the pillars of Indian hockey in recent years,” while secretary general Bhola Nath Singh praised his “dedication, grit and passion for the game.”
India began their Asia Cup campaign with a 4-3 victory over China, captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring a hat-trick and Jugraj Singh adding the other goal. The team will now look to build on their winning start, with Pathak once again expected to play a decisive role between the posts.
