Mumbai: ahead of the Intercontinental Cup, Indian football team striker Jeje Lalpekhlua said his partnership with captain Sunil Chhetri up front augurs well for the team.
“Sunil bhai is most senior among us and he leads us by example. But, what I would like to say is that that we work cohesively as a unit. We complement each other on the field to get the job done,” Jeje told ww.the-aiff.com.
Lalpekhlua is three matches short of 50 caps for India. The Indian Super League winning Chennaiyin FC forward added that everyone in the team is willing to share the burden and carry the responsibility.
“It’s not only me and Sunil bhai. Balwant (Singh), Alen (Deory), Manvir (Singh) are all ready to give it a shot. We all are confident to shoulder the responsibility and deliver once the situation demands,” he said.
India play Chinese Taipei in the tournament opener at the Mumbai Football Arena on June 1.
The 2016 AIFF Player of the Year also mentioned that he has learnt a lot from the ups and downs in his life since his international debut against Chinese Taipei in 2011.
“It has been a long journey for me since 2011. I have learnt so many things. I was going through a rough phase after the knee injury. I was struggling and was hardly getting an opportunity to prove myself,” he added.
“As a striker you need to grab the opportunity and also need the backing of your coach. That helps you to improve as a player and gives you confidence.”(IANS)
