Sunil Chhetri looks ahead to Hero Intercontinental Cup while mentioning his 'mixed opinion' on allowing PIOs to play for India

While club football in India takes a back seat, the Indian men's national team will return to action on June 9 for the Hero Intercontinental Cup. The competition marks the beginning of an important period for the team as they prepare for the AFC Asian Cup next year.

The Blue Tigers will face Mongolia in their opening encounter. They will also square off against Lebanon, who are ranked two places above India in the FIFA rankings, and Vanuatu before the finals on June 24 (provided they qualify).

The training for the tournament began on May 16, with head coach Igor Stimac naming a 41-man squad before narrowing it down to 27. Ahead of the competition, India’s captain Sunil Chhetri opened up about the preparations and the mood in the squad in an interaction with the media.

"The camp is going well. The initial days were reserved for testing and in the last week, we have done some work on the pitch. For every individual, it’s about getting back and knowing the whole team. Some of us who have been under Igor Stimac for four years have more knowledge and the new ones are trying their best to understand what is needed. The senior ones are helping the players who have come in recently.

"The good part is all the young ones are very eager to learn and excited. It is not very often that the national team gets this much time. Contrary to the belief that we did not get enough rest after our commitments, I think the general mood in the camp is happiness. Potentially, playing nine games in the next month is something we are really looking forward to."

The national squad will immediately depart from Odisha for Bengaluru to compete in the SAFF Championship, which begins on June 21. They are grouped with Kuwait, Nepal, and old rivals Pakistan in Group A.

The game against Pakistan is a highly anticipated one among the fans. However, unlike India, Pakistan have granted players with dual nationality the right to represent the national team. Several talented players who have played in the European leagues have not represented India due to this reason.

Recently, Ross County FC midfielder, Yan Dhanda, a British citizen of Indian origin, also expressed his desire to play for the country. However, Dhanda will only be eligible to play for the Blue Tigers if he gives up his British citizenship.

Quizzed by Sportskeeda about this scenario, Chhetri said that he has a mixed opinion on the situation.

"We are 1.4 billion people, so we have a bigger pool to choose from. Pakistan fielding players from outside is not something new that we are facing in the international circuit. A lot of teams we play against, for example, Afghanistan, many players in that country are players who play abroad. I have a mixed opinion about it.

"I think when we get the chance and decide to invite or allow the players of Indian origin who are playing abroad, I’ve got mixed feelings. If the best ones are allowed, it always improves the team. It’s a quick fix for a shorter target, but in the longer run, we have to make sure that we keep grinding and finding homegrown talents."

He added:

"If we can make a way for both, that will give the quickest way of improving. But in the other countries who are doing it, the criteria and situations are different and it’s not like comparing apples to apples. We are a huge country and we are improving slowly but steadily. But yes, whenever you hear the names and the kind of players that India can also get to play for the country, it seems like a very lucrative offer. So, I think it’s a mixed bag."

India, the defending champions, will face Pakistan in their first game of the tournament at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on June 21.

"We are going to give whatever we have" - Sunil Chhetri on India's chances in the AFC Asian Cup

Indian team members practicing [Image: Indian Football]

Igor Stimac has a strong squad at his disposal and it will be interesting to see how he manages the team in the upcoming tournaments. When asked if the Intercontinental Cup is the right platform to test different players and build chemistry in the team, Chhetri replied:

"I’m not capable enough to answer that, but I’ll give you what I think. It depends on the coach, but we have to move towards having the same 11 or 14 players. Who has to be in the lineup is thankfully not my headache, but also, we as players have to give that headache to the coach.

"But slowly and steadily, as soon as we realize the 11 or the 14, it’s better for the team. But the more games these players play from now till the AFC Asian Cup, in my opinion, is better for the understanding of the team. We as players have to make sure we knock on the doors to give the coach the right headache."

The Indian football star also said:

"But as soon as the national team realizes and fits the first 11, small things like understanding the roles and the strengths and applying that on the pitch in that context, it’s important to make sure that we cement our places."

India will look to arrive at the AFC Asian Cup competition at full strength. However, they have been drawn in a tough group, alongside Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria. After a disappointing exit in the 2019 Asian Cup, Chhetri stated that the team is determined to perform despite the challenges.

"On the looks of it, it seems a bit more difficult compared to last time, but the Asian Cup is something we know is difficult. Even when we met Thailand, UAE and Bahrain, it was always difficult. I think we had some good performances and in some games we weren’t great. Going forward, to give myself or the team a huge target wouldn’t be ideal.

"Right now, we are trying our best to be as tough as an opponent as possible and go and give a good account of ourselves. In modern football, a lot of teams who are underdogs, like Morocco for example, have shown us that if you are a good unit, you can make it difficult for the other teams to play against. That’s our prime target."

Chhetri further added:

"On paper, it looks more difficult than last time, but don’t worry. As far as our message to the country is concerned, we are going to give whatever we have."

As the AFC Asian Cup looms on the horizon, India’s sights are firmly fixed on the upcoming competitions. Stimac will hope that his side can gather momentum in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship.