• Source:JND
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AFC Asian Cup 2023: India's star defender Sandesh Jhingan opened up on his take on the opponents the Indian team will be facing in the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 starting from January 12.

While the Blue Tigers are set to mark their fifth appearance in the marquee tournament, they will be up against Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria in the Group B fixtures.

Despite their group opponents being the higher-ranked sides, Jhingan said that "We respect all but fear none".

India will kick off their campaign on January 13 as Igor Stimac's side aims to begin the year 2024 with promising results.

 

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Jhingan is one of the experienced campaigners in Stimac's 26-member squad alongside the likes of skipper Sunil Chhetri and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Jhingan, upon his arrival at the airport here, said, "No group in the Asian Cup is easy. Of course, we've got Australia, and they need no introduction. But what we have learned in the last few years is that we must never fear any opposition.

"Believe in the work you do, believe in your group, and the sky's the limit for this batch. We must stay humble, keep improving, and hopefully do something special."

The Blue Tigers reached Qatar on Saturday and the players were greeted by a massive number of Indian fans at the Hamad International Airport.

Notably, India have never made it past the group stage after finishing runners-up in 1964, which was played in a round-robin format.

Despite having a past to remember for the Indian team in the specific tournament, Jhingan is keen to focus on the positives in the recent past.

"We have been getting some great support at home, and we've had a great year, which shows how fast we are improving. Now it's all about putting in our best effort here and seeing where we can land up," he said.

Stimac had arrived a day earlier in Doha and was there at the team hotel to greet every player.

 

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Drawn in Group B, India will begin their campaign against Australia on January 13 followed by matches against Uzbekistan on January 18 and Syria on January 23).

The Blue Tigers have had a great year so far, winning three trophies (Tri-Nation Cup, Intercontinental Cup, and the SAFF Championship) at home, before putting in commendable performances away from home in the King's Cup in Thailand, Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia, and in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers away game against Kuwait (1-0).