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Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan has explained that a longer camp has helped the national teams ahead of their SAFF Championship 2023 summit clash. The Blue Tigers will take on Kuwait in the final on Tuesday (July 4) at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
This will mark India's second final in as many tournaments after they won last month's Hero Intercontinental Cup, beating Lebanon 2-0 in the final. Igor Stimac's men have certainly benefitted from having a camp that has extended for nearly two months.
The team united shortly after the 2022-23 Indian Super League season. While they broke for the Hero Super Cup in April, they have since been together, training and playing multiple friendly and competitive games.
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At India's pre-match press conference ahead of their clash against Kuwait, Sportskeeda asked Sandesh Jhingan about the impact of the large period of time they have spent together. The Bengaluru FC centre-back replied:
"Longer camps always help. When the team assembles, like you said, it's a long season, we spend the whole season with our clubs and each club has a different philosophy, whether it's BFC, [FC] Goa, Chennaiyin [FC], Mohun Bagan. [They have] different ways of training, levels of fitness.
"And then if you expect for us to come together for six days and get the job done, I think it's an uphill task. I'm just being honest, you know."
Jhingan went on to emphasize on the results the Blue Tigers have gotten under Stimac when they have had long camps.
"If you look back at our journey under Igor, we've had long camps only three times. I think the first one was when we played Qatar and Oman [in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 2019]. The way we lost the Oman game still bugs me, but we were brilliant in that game. We drew Qatar away [as well]," he said.
"After that, I don't think we had any long camps. Then, we had one before the qualifiers last year and I think pretty much every one of you enjoyed that.
"And we have one now, and the whole country is enjoying. So, as individuals and as a team, it [a longer camp] always helps."
Jhingan concluded by adding that international football posed a different challenge to club games:
"You come into the system the national team needs to follow. You know the fitness has to be much higher than the ISL level because international games always demand more. So yeah, it helps a lot."
It's worth noting that Indian assistant coach Mahesh Gawli also spoke about the importance of long national team camps after India's SAFF Championship semifinal win over Lebanon.
Gawli said that he and the staff had gotten plenty of time to work with the team and improve its fitness in the ongoing camp.
Sandesh Jhingan praises Mahesh Gawli's inputs for India's improved defensive record in recent months
The Indian backline, led by Sandesh Jhingan, has received plenty of praise in the ongoing international break.
Igor Stimac's men have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight games, conceding just once in that run. The goal they let in was an unfortunate miskick by Anwar Ali, who has been brilliant in this recent run, into his own net against Kuwait last week.
Jhingan, Anwar, Mehtab Singh, Akash Mishra, Nikhil Poojary and goalkeepers Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Amrinder Singh have been lauded by fans and the media. However, Jhingan reckons a lot of credit should go to Mahesh Gawli and called the assistant coach one of India's best defenders from the past.
"Mahesh bhai has been one of the best defenders India ever had in his playing days. We all looked up to him, and now we have had a long camp with him," Jhingan explained.
"Everyone's saying 'Oh, a lot of clean sheets, Sandesh is doing well, Anwar is doing well. ...' Lot of credit should go to Mahesh bhai. The sessions he takes with us, small inputs [about] which foot to go forward, which to go back [have helped us]."
Jhingan also referenced a quote by veteran Italian centre-back Giorgio Chiellini to emphasize how the system and training are more important than who plays in the XI.
"I started [being a part of the Indian team] in 2013. 2015 was my debut after two years on the bench. I had Arnab [Mondal] da, then Anas [Edathodika] bhai, then Adil [Khan] bhai, so I've had a lot of partners. You just get used to it, to be honest. It's all about the system," he explained.
He continued:
"There's this very fine quote made by great Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. He said, 'The script is the same, only the actors change,' when he was asked why the Italian defense is so solid throughout.
"It's the system that brings the best out of any player, so credit should go to the coach. The script is what matters and the training is important. Whether I'm there or not, the system stays and the players will perform because we have a strong base to build upon."
"One more push, let's go for it together" - Sandesh Jhingan's message for Indian fans ahead of SAFF Championship 2023 final
Towards the end of the press conference, Sandesh Jhingan was asked if he had a message for the fans.
The SAFF Championship 2023 final on Tuesday is expected to be attended by more than 20,000 fans, who have flocked to the Kanteerava in large numbers throughout the tournament.
Jhingan said:
"They've been brilliant. I was blessed to have the whole season here last year as a BFC player and I enjoyed every [game]. Kanteerava has its special moments.
"Even before when we played here with the national team, it's always been special here. From the day we landed, played Pakistan to now, the way they're supporting has been brilliant."
The Bengaluru FC man added that the fans and media members who show up on Tuesday will be able to tell future generations what the team has accomplished in recent times.
"One more push, let's go for it together and India is in this together because everyone is part of the growth of this sport. We should all feel part of how it is going forward.
"Wherever we will be, we'll be together, so you can tell the next few generations that when this happened, we were all a part of it," Sandesh Jhingan concluded.
Jhingan is expected to return to India's starting XI for the final, having missed the semifinal against Lebanon due to a suspension. Meanwhile, assistant coach Mahesh Gawli confirmed that India expect to have all the squad members fit and available for the match as well.
It's worth noting that Indian head coach Igor Stimac will miss the game on Tuesday, as he will serve the second and final game of his two-match suspension.
