The captain, leader, and legend, who is on the verge of entering an elite club of players who have represented their nation in 150 international matches, the-aiff.com caught up with the India no. 11 to look back on his glorious career.
Q: Tell us about your journey with the National Team so far.
Answer: When I started, it never occurred to me that I could play for the country one day. In fact, even a few days back, I was not aware that I was on the verge of such a record. When you pause and think about it, it’s an unbelievable feat. I’m very fortunate, extremely thankful, and highly privileged to be in this state.
I think I’m the only one to play 150 games for the country in India. I’m really fortunate that I got such an opportunity.
Q: When you were initially scouted in the Subroto Cup and the Delhi league, did you ever think that you’d come this far?
A: When I was playing the Subroto Cup in Delhi, I didn’t even think or dream that I would play for the country. The professional setup of playing for a club was too far. There wasn’t any bridge that directly connected your actions to your destination. That is not the case now, as a kid playing in any club knows what he or she has to do to get to where they want. That was not the case in those days. And hence, I never dreamt of playing for the country.