A collective team effort can only bring back the winning rhythm and end Indian football’s barren run in the continental stage, according to the national men’s team central defender, Sandesh Jhingan.
With India preparing for its second group league match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier (final round) against Hong Kong on June 10 at the AIFF centre of excellence here, Jhingan said the team needs to find the right coordination between departments to regain its successful form.
“We are facing certain things which led to a dip in form. We (the players) feel worse, and so do our families. Sometimes we let the country down, but there are times when we came up with great performances. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to keep trying to do better and focus on the future,” Jhingan said.
India remained winless all through 2024 (in six matches) before finding its first success on March 19 this year against Maldives in an international friendly to end a winless streak of 489 days. The crisis returned as India played a goalless draw while hosting Bangladesh in the first match of the Asian Cup qualifier (on March 25) and lost the opportunity of picking up full points.
Needing a win against Hong Kong to brighten its chances, India will have to regain its scoring efficiency, which Jhingan said will happen if everyone in the team does his job properly.
“The reason we are not scoring is that we at the back are not putting up the ball to the midfield. And the midfield is not putting good balls in the box, and that’s why we’re not scoring. To point out a single aspect is very unfair as it is a collective effort in the end,” he said.
Published – May 23, 2025 05:30 pm IST
