Sandesh Jhingan is raring to go as India aim to return to winning ways in the June international window.
Sandesh Jhingan is coming off a solid 2024-25 season with FC Goa, which was capped off by their Kalinga Super Cup 2025 win.
The experienced centre-back is well adapted to Manolo Marquez’s playing style and knows exactly what the head coach demands from his players in his system heading into the upcoming matches for the India national team.
On India’s goal-scoring woes
Sandesh Jhingan had an interesting way of describing his side’s goalscoring struggles and ability to get more clean sheets in recent matches, stating: “Against Maldives, we proved we can score many goals and scored three. Against Bangladesh, we could’ve scored too. It’s always good to keep a clean sheet, but we’ve come a long way; we should’ve won the Bangladesh game. It’s unfair to credit the defenders or the goalkeeper; it’s unfair. If our strikers don’t press well, if our no.10 isn’t taking their no.06, maybe you can keep a clean sheet in one game and concede in another one.
“It’d be stupid if I went into the dressing room and bashed the boys up front for not scoring. The reason they’re not scoring is that we at the back are not distributing the ball well enough to midfield, and the midfielders aren’t putting good balls into the box. To point out a single aspect is unfair and we don’t think that way; it’s a collective effort among our squad,” he also claimed.
On partnership with Anwar Ali at the back
Sandesh Jhingan might face some competition in the centre-back role but is likely to reunite with Anwar Ali to form the centre-back partnership in the upcoming matches against Thailand and Hong Kong.
When asked about his feelings on seeing Anwar back in the squad, he stated: “He’s a lovely boy who has shown his quality. We, as a pairing, have given what the team needs. But just to put it on me and Anwar would be unfair, Mehtab (Singh), ChinglenSana and Rahul (Bheke) will join.
“They play a big role, and it’s a collective effort. To have him back after missing a few games, it’s a joy to play with hi,m and I enjoy playing with him. In centre-back, it’s a position where two players have to play as one to help strengthen the foundation of the team. I hope we can both stay fit and earn our place in the starting XI,” he added.
On the need for longer camps for the Indian Football Team
The India squad have started training in a national camp in Kolkata for a while now, allowing players to get well adapted to Marquez’s demands.
When asked on whether a longer camp for the Indian squad can benefit their performances going forward, the FC Goa man replied: “I think bond is something which will never be an issue for us. In all three coaches I’ve been with, one of the biggest strengths is our bond. The more time the coach gets, in football, each player comes from different clubs and different philosophies.
“When you come into the national team, what the boss wants could differ from the club. The more training sessions you get, it helps the team prepare. And then it’s about executing the plan, which is our plan for Thailand and for the Hong Kong game,” Sandesh Jhingan added.
On facing Ashley Westwood’s Hong Kong
Finally, when asked about his assessment of Hong Kong’s threat for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier, Sandesh Jhingan explained: “Ashley Westwood is up there now. He brings his own system there, and we all know how well he did with India with Bengaluru FC; he did well with Afghanistan as well.
“Their team has changed a lot with him. We will slowly keep preparing for the game, and we have our own style as well,” Sandesh Jhingan finished off.
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