Football
'Happy to be with Indian team again': Jeakson Singh on return from shoulder injury
Jeakson Singh has been recalled for India's FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Afghanistan for the first time since October when he sustained a shoulder injury during an ISL game.
India midfielder Jeakson Singh has been recalled for India's FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia. (Photo credit: AIFF)
After a six-month absence from the national team, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam is back in blue colours. A shoulder injury sustained during an Indian Super League game for Kerala Blasters FC against Mumbai City FC in October kept the midfielder out of action until February. Back to full fitness, the 22-year-old is now hungrier than ever.
Excited to rejoin the national team for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Afghanistan in Abha, Saudi Arabia, Jeakson said, "It feels great to be back after a long and hard time. I'm happy to be with the team again. I'm looking forward to the upcoming two games now."
The Blue Tigers landed in Abha in southwestern Saudi Arabia on March 15 and have had four full training sessions so far.
"The training is going fantastic. Everybody is happy and working hard in every session. We are ready for this fight," Jeakson added.
Apart from physical trouble, injury lay-offs can leave players mentally drained as well. But ample support from all corners made the recovery process simpler for Jeakson.
Indian fans missed seeing him on the pitch for the last half a year, and Jeakson equally missed wearing the blue jersey too. But as they say - when you're back, you're always back for more.
"It was the first time I was out for such a long time due to an injury. I had to undergo surgery. Obviously, it was difficult. But the support I got from the coaching staff and my teammates - both the national team and my club - helped me a lot to stay positive during those tough times. Now that I'm finally back, I will try my best, give my hundred percent in every match, support the team and win," said Jeakson.
Looking forward to the Afghanistan games, Jeakson reminisced about the last meeting with them back in 2022 at the Asian Cup Qualifiers in Kolkata.
He played 68 minutes of that clash before being substituted and watched the late drama unfold sitting on the bench as Sunil Chhetri's free-kick and Sahal Abdul Samad's injury-time winner sealed India's berth at Qatar 2023.
"I remember that match in Kolkata very well. It was a great victory for us. But now the situation is totally different. There have been a lot of changes. But what remains the same is that we'll give our best to get three points in both games, home and away," affirmed Jeakson.
