Playing against tougher opponents will greatly benefit the Indian team: Skipper Sunil Chhetri

India’s football captain Sunil Chhetri reckons playing against tougher opponents will greatly benefit the Indian team. India is all set to face tough competition in upcoming tournaments like Hero Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championship.

India will take on teams like Mongolia, Vanuatu, and Lebanon in the Hero Intercontinental Cup, while they will face off against Kuwait, Nepal, and Pakistan in Group A of the SAFF Championship and the Blue Tigers will be looking to bring their A-game to the pitch.

Igor Sitmac’s men have performed decently in the recent past and defeated Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar to win the tri-nation tournament in Imphal. Ergo, they will be looking to carry the good show in these crucial upcoming tournaments.

There is no doubt that playing difficult opponents will be a different challenge and it will certainly help the Indian team in increasing their confidence if they perform well. Furthermore, India will also take part in the AFC Asian Cup where they will face a tough team.

“Lebanon and Kuwait will give us an understanding of where we stand, especially as we have to play teams like Syria in the Asian Cup. Uzbekistan could be a level higher. Syria are also a top team. The young boys haven’t played against them, but some of the seniors from Bob Houghton’s time have that experience. They have improved a lot. They are a top side, and obviously, we all know that Australia are one of the best in Asia,” Chhetri said during a media interaction on Saturday.

The talisman added that the more games they play against top teams, the better they will get with time as it will give them exposure at the top level.

“The more games we get to play against better opponents, the better it will be for us. We just need to make sure that we manage it well against these opponents. It’s important to make sure that we improve as a team and individually as well. What we do in the camp is really important we must make sure that we are in a position to put our best foot forward once the Asian Cup is here,” he stated.

Meanwhile, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan, who have foreign players of Pakistan origin in their team.

Speaking on the same, “We are a country with a billion people and we have a bigger pool to choose from. Countries like Pakistan fielding origin-based players are nothing new. Players from Afghanistan also play abroad. So, I think, whenever we get the chance, we will decide on inviting players of Indian origin. But in the longer run, we need to make sure to rely on homegrown talent. Other countries’ criteria are different,” Chhetri opined.