Midfielder Anirudh Thapa is happy to be enjoying a break after a draining season of Indian Super League. Thapa had a fruitful season, helping Chennaiyin FC register a runner-up finish.
Thapa’s campaign was an excellent one. He averaged 50 successful passes per game at an accuracy of 75 percent, recording six assists and scoring one goal — a crafty effort during the first leg of the semifinal against FC Goa.
“It was a dramatic season with Chennaiyin FC,” he said in an interaction with the-aiff.com .
“But we couldn’t get the happy ending we wanted. I don’t focus on my individual performance much but this season was satisfactory, overall. As compared to the last two-three seasons, there has been an improvement and I can see the progression myself. My assists, passing accuracy, fitness levels — have all gone up, which is a positive sign,” he said.
‘Important to remain fresh’
A good rest and spending time with family was important after the tiring few months of training, playing and travelling, Thapa pointed out. “It is important to get the right kind of rest. One recovers physically but it takes time to recover mentally. Back-to-back matches, travelling, etc. all takes its toll. It is important to remain fresh mentally. Spending time at home with my family and friends always helps and helps take my mind off football, which helps me get a fresh start,” he said.
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What did he like to do during his time off? “On a normal day, I would go cycling or trekking in the mornings and then in the evenings, I enjoy playing some light football with my friends, which is fun and also helps me remain fit. Now though, I start my day with stretching exercises and later in the day, I do core exercises and at times, yoga as well,” he said.
Thapa urged people across India to take adequate precautions to prevent the infection of nCOVID-19. “I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines and play their roles in containing the disease,” he said.
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