Injuries are part of any sport but what really matters to an athlete is how well he makes his comeback in a bid to prove that no matter what life throws at him; he will always come back stronger.

Indian National Team striker Robin Singh scored twice when he last played for the nation in the SAFF Suzuki Cup (which India eventually lifted) against Sri Lanka, in December 2015. The striker suffered a knee injury in the match and was out for seven months fighting the fate.

“When you leave something you love it obviously hurts. I put my head down and focused day in and day out for my recovery and that was my entire funda,” Robin said on the side-lines of ongoing National Team Preparatory Camp at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai.

“I got a lot of help from the Federation (AIFF). I kept in touch with the Coach (Stephen Constantine), our physios and our Sports Scientist to guide me in my recovery,” he informed. “It was a very helpful process and I got a positive response from everyone involved in the National Team setup. Everyone played their part in my comeback.”

“It is mentally challenging as a footballer to be out of the sport in recovery but thankfully I had people who supported me,” he stated.

The striker got a National Camp call-up for India’s back-to-back matches against Cambodia, an International Friendly on March 22, and against Myanmar on March 28 in the Qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

“It is a proud moment to be back in India colours but the job is still half done. I have to now work hard and make it to the final list and hopefully the Coach (Stephen Constantine) gives me the nod,” he smiles.

“I work hard every day. I still love playing the game as I did the first day. That’s my dedication. In football you learn every day and there is a transition every day,” he maintained.

India have been draw against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers and kick-off their campaign on March 28 when they face Myanmar in Yangon.

“Expectations are obviously high when you play for the country and we all want to make sure that we qualify for the next phase of the tournament. But it’s easier said than done. As a team, we have all come here to work hard get results,” he echoed.

“We have to take one step at a time, one game at a time and ensure that we work hard to give our best in the matches.”

(Report & Photo courtesy: AIFF Media)