Hope to play my part in this team for as long as the coach wants me to, says Adil Khan

Results weren’t the priority for the coach when Igor Stimac fielded a second-string side in what was just his second match as India coach during their final group game against Thailand in the King’s Cup. But Stimac’s men gave him something to cheer about after snatching a 1-0 victory with Adil Khan playing an important role in the backline.

“It was a really difficult time – I couldn’t even touch the ball and it wasn’t easy financially as well. The biggest lesson was that you just cannot give up. There was a block in my mind at times but I fought it and knew that I had to keep working and keep myself fit,” Adil said.

“Jhingan and me trained together for the first time before the King’s Cup for a short time and kept a clean sheet against Thailand. I have seen him play over the years so I was aware of his strengths. Since then, the communication between us has improved a lot as we now have more matches and camps under our belts,” he revealed.

In Stimac’s new set-up, defending comes with an added responsibility of building the attack from the back. But that is easier said than done for a team, who have lately received a lot of flak for their tendency to concede late goals. The team played all their roles to perfection earlier this month when India salvaged a draw against Qatar in the World Cup qualifiers.

“Everyone understood how important the result was – holding the Asian champions in their own backyard, especially after the result against Oman. We did not concede a goal against a side that had won all its matches against Asian teams this year, which again is special.”

Adil further revealed that the tactic of the game was to remain focused at all costs. He was impressed with how the team reacted to the enormous occasion by “communicating constantly” and keeping each other in check. While bigger tests lie ahead on the road for India, Adil feels Stimac has instilled a great sense of belief and desire to win in the team.

Stimac lifted the team out of a tough heartbreak against Oman. Adil lauded the coach for his efforts in making the team believe in themselves again and getting the historic result against Qatar. Once down in the abyss, life has come a full circle for Adil who first dawned the Indian jersey under Armando Colaco in 2012. He now just wants to contribute as much, whatever role it may be.

“I say that I am a link between the senior and junior players in the team. The previous batch I was part of had some incredible players but the current team is special and is the future of Indian football. As a senior player, I will always be there to guide them and I hope to play my part in this team for as long as the coach wants me to,” he concluded.