Soumo Ghosh
AIFF Media Team

KATHMANDU, NEPAL: The Rain Gods not only weighed down heavily on the city of Kathmandu, but also on the India U20 men’s national team’s preparations amidst the SAFF U20 Championship, on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.

With the Blue Colts’ last match of Group B against the Maldives (August 23) looming large on the horizon, the India U20s were set to train at the ANFA Complex on Wednesday. However incessant rains played spoilsport as they had an indoor training session instead, at their hotel, with head coach Ranjan Choudhuri not willing to risk injuries or his players’ health with crucial matches coming up.

Team captain Ricky Meetei Haobam, however, remained stoic about the situation. He said, “Such things are never in your control, so there’s no point dwelling on them. If something does not go according to plan, we just have to keep positive and prepare for the next day, or the next activity. It’s all in the mind.”

India began their campaign with a 1-0 victory against Bhutan despite being reduced to nine men, on Monday (August 19). However, Group B has been thrown wide open after a 10-man Bhutan defeated the Maldives 2-1 at the ANFA Complex on Wednesday. The Blue Colts now have to avoid defeat against the Maldives on August 23 to seal their semi-final spot.

The India U20 captain preferred to dwell on the positives, though. “Of course, we are here to be champions of SAFF. This is the first time I’m playing at the U20 level, so things are a little different. Every country is improving bit-by-bit, but we are a strong side as well,” he said.

“But we have also improved so much since last year. Every player here is playing at some club with senior players in domestic football, which means everyone here comes with a certain level of experience,” said Ricky.

Ahead of the start of the championship, the officials of the India U20 side had called the players together to announce Ricky Meetei Haobam as the captain, and the fullback hit the ground running with his new leadership role.

“I did not expect to receive the captain’s armband, but I am glad that the coaches felt that I was capable enough to take on such a role in the team,” said Ricky. “When I told my parents about it, they were so proud, I am proud to wear the armband.”

The U20 team will remain in camp after the SAFF Championship as well, and prepare for the AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, where they have been drawn in Group G alongside Mongolia (September 25), IR Iran (September 27), and Laos (September 29).

A player for every position

The youngster, who began training at Eastern Sporting Union in Manipur, after excelling in the India U17 side where he won the SAFF U17 Championship in 2022, helped his side qualify for the AFC U17 Asian Cup the same year, later went on to move to Bengaluru FC, before winning the SAFF U19 Championship in 2023.

While Ricky may have played at right-back all his time in junior international and club football, it is more of a position that he has grown into.

“I actually started as a left winger, and then was converted into a centre-back by my coaches at Eastern Sporting Union,” Ricky recalled. “But when I joined the U17 camp, coach Bibiano (Fernandes) converted me to right-back, and that’s what I’ve been playing since then.”“I always wanted to play in centre-midfield because I am a big fan of Sergio Busquets, but I’m happy playing wherever the coaches decide to put me,” he said.