Should We Have Secured a Victory Against Bangladesh? Sandesh Jhingan Speaks Out

Kolkata, May 23 (NationPress) The March FIFA window has undoubtedly left a bitter impression on the Indian men's national team, including head coach Manolo Marquez. Although they ended a 16-month winless streak with a victory over the Maldives, defender Sandesh Jhingan acknowledged that the goalless draw against Bangladesh marked a disappointing beginning to the Asian Cup Qualifiers. The team's focus now shifts to the pivotal away match against Hong Kong on June 10.

This was the first instance since June 2023 where India managed to keep two consecutive clean sheets. However, for Jhingan, the more significant concern is that clean sheets alone are insufficient; the Blue Tigers seek victories.

“Every match we enter, our aim is to win. This applies to the teams we face as well. While it’s a positive to maintain a clean sheet, we’ve progressed beyond just that. We appreciate the clean sheet, but we recognize we should have claimed victory in that match,” Jhingan stated.

The 31-year-old stressed that the responsibility of maintaining clean sheets and scoring goals lies not only with defenders and strikers, but is a collective team effort.

“If we keep a clean sheet and only give credit to the defenders, it’s unjust. If my strikers fail to press effectively or my number 10 isn’t marking their number six, we might achieve a clean sheet in one game, but not in another.”

“Similarly, if my forwards aren’t scoring and I go into the locker room to criticize them, that would be foolish. Their lack of scoring is often due to us defenders not delivering quality passes to the midfield. The midfielders must also provide good balls into the box. To criticize one aspect alone isn’t fair, and in our team, we don’t operate that way,” Jhingan explained.

Just under two years ago, India celebrated a treble of titles by winning the SAFF Championship, Intercontinental Cup, and the Tri-Nation Series, but the year 2024 has yet to yield a victory for the Indian squad.

“That’s football,” Jhingan simply concluded.

“The three tournaments illustrate our squad's potential. We struggled in the last Asian Cup; I accept that, and I’m the first to admit it. Just as you shouldn’t rest on past achievements, failing to perform doesn’t erase the good work done previously.”

“I recall joining the national team in 2013 and debuting in 2015 when we ranked 173rd. Not many had expectations for us. We’ve had numerous challenges since then, but we made history by qualifying for two consecutive Asian Cups for the first time,” Jhingan noted.

Now, the Blue Tigers aspire to extend that streak and secure a third consecutive appearance. Their next challenge on the road to Saudi Arabia 2027 is against Hong Kong, a team now coached by former Bengaluru FC manager Ashley Westwood. Previously, India triumphed over Hong Kong with a 4-0 victory in Kolkata during the qualifiers for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, with Jhingan playing all 90 minutes.

As they prepare for the match on June 10, the center-back remarked, “With Ashley at the helm, he brings his own approach. He previously had success with Bengaluru FC and Afghanistan. However, the team has undergone significant changes, and a new coach can cause a substantial shift. We continue to prepare and aim to impose our system and style on the game. I assure you, team cohesion will never be a concern for us. We are united in this endeavor.”