After reaching semi-finals of the recently concluded Hero Indian Women's League (IWL), SSB Women FC's midfielder Sangita Basfore said that she feels like a transformed player after her continuous exposure with the women's national team.
"The months we spent with the national team, and the exposure we gained helped us to improve a lot. From my movement to passing range, to decision making, to off the ball movement, I feel I have come up a long way," All India Football Federation (AIFF) quoted Sangita as saying.
"The coach always says to me -- 'dusro ko saath leke khelna hai.' I feel the urge to improve my game and inspire the players around me. It is a great feeling to be given such a responsibility. I am already seeing the newcomers learning from us, and pushing hard," she added.
Under head coach Maymol Rocky, the national Team picked up four straight wins in Hong Kong, and Indonesia at the start of 2019, and in the next three months, they defended their SAFF title in Nepal.
"The quality of time spent by the players together has helped them immensely both on and off the field. We are a team that is growing rapidly. Thanks to the continuous game time, we have developed an understanding amongst ourselves on the pitch, which is extremely important, especially for me since I am a midfielder. Off the field, there is a great bonding and camaraderie in the team," Sangita said.
The Indian senior women's team are currently training in New Delhi for the upcoming back-to-back friendly matches against Uzbekistan on August 30, and September 2.