Sandesh Jhingan missed India’s semifinal clash against Lebanon in the 2023 SAFF Championship due to a one-match suspension. Back in contention for the Blue Tigers, ahead of their final clash against Kuwait, the centre-back is raring to go.
“I missed being on the pitch [against Lebanon] like any other footballer. You don’t want to miss the big games. But that’s how football is sometimes. I don’t think I was missed much. Mehtab [Singh] did well, Anwar [Ali] did well, and the entire backline did well. The main thing is that the team does well,” Jhingan said ahead of the final on Tuesday.
“I, personally, was pretty confident that we would get through. Well done to the whole team and how they performed. We deserved to win,” he added.
Results have been kind for India recently. After winning the Intercontinental Cup, it has the chance to lift its ninth SAFF Championship title. A major reason behind India’s excellent form has been the defensive duo of Jhingan and Anwar and the understanding they have shared between each other.
Talking about Anwar ahead of the match, Jhingan said, “I think he is doing pretty well. We all know about his condition (Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy) before. Coming out of that takes a strong mentality. Credit to his family also, who supported him. He has to stay humble and keep working hard. We have done really well together.”
“It is all about the team. If we two are doing well and forming a partnership, but we don’t have an understanding with the midfielders and the strikers, it will never work out. It is the evolution of the whole team. As I have always said, the sky’s the limit for this batch.”
The pressure of the final
India has never lost a cup final at home since Sunil Chhetri’s debut in 2005. On Tuesday, assistant coach Mahesh Gawli will have the responsibility of maintaining the record and steering the ship in the absence of his captain - Igor Stimac, with the head coach suspended for the final after seeing a red card against Kuwait - his second one of the tournament.
“There is pressure, definitely, because we want to win. The team is doing very well, and I am proud of the players. I hope they do [play] the same as they were doing, and I am positive,” Gawli said.
“The last match against Kuwait was very heated. But we have spoken to the boys and asked them to be calm and cool because it is a game, and we have to win.”
Asked about his thoughts on the Kuwait team, Jhingan said that the Al-Azraqs are definitely the best team the Indians have played in the last nine-ten games.
“I think the whole country saw that they are a very good side. They have very technical players, and individually, they are also very good. They have a good shape and a good system. About their ranking (141), everyone knows that they aren’t where they should be. If you don’t do your thing for ten seconds, they score against you.”
Who makes the cut and injury concerns?
India has been fluid with its team selection throughout the entire tournament, with the primary cause of rotation being to keep the players fresh. Chhetri said earlier during the tournament that no one wants to sacrifice their position in the starting eleven.
The coaching staff have the headache of selecting the starting eleven for the summit clash, but Gawli said it is a good headache to have.
“You have seen the performance of all the players. All the players want to be in the first XI. We will decide after today’s training, and then we will pick the first XI [for tomorrow’s final],” said India’s assistant coach.
Chhetri was seen having a slight limp after the semifinal clash against Lebanon, but Gawli said there are no injury concerns and the whole team is fit.
Gawli won SAFF gold as a player in 2005 when India beat Bangladesh 2-0 in the final. Cut to 2023, and he has the chance to win it as a coach as well - the first player to achieve this feat if the Blue Tigers win.
On being asked which win would be more memorable, Gawli pointed out that tomorrow’s final would be tougher, given the quality of Kuwait, but said that both wins would be memorable in their own way.
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