Exclusive: I am really excited to train under Igor Stimac- Vinit Rai

Along with the 21-year-old midfielder, four other Delhi Dynamos players have been selected for the national camp.

The All India Football Federation recently appointed the new head coach for the Indian Football team Igor Stimac. Following the appointment, The Croatian tactician released a list of 37 players to be called up in his first national team training camp ahead of the King's Cup campaign in Thailand next month.

The 51-year-old picked a few first timers along with several usual faces of the national team. The list contained Vinit Rai, who was one of the trusted players under the former national team head coach Stephen Constantine, especially in the U-23 national games.

The Delhi Dynamos midfielder said, "It’s a great feeling to be called up for the Indian team preparatory camp. It’s a dream for every footballer to wear the national jersey and represent the nation. I have been fortunate enough to do that before and I am sure I will do it again."

Vinit Rai travelled with the Indian team for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE where he remained an unused substitute as India were knocked out in the group stage. And now, Vinit is stern on his mission to prove his worth to the newly appointed head coach.

"Over the year, I have learnt a lot, developed a lot. Having played in the highest level of the country, I have grown as a player and have further brushed my skills. So, I am very confident heading into this camp and I can assure everyone that I will give my best," Rai quipped.

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MIDFIELDERS: Udanta Singh, Jackichand Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Anirudh Thapa, Raynier Fernandes, Bikramjit Singh, Dhanpal Ganesh, Pronay Halder, Rowllin Borges, Germanpreet Singh, Vinit Rai, Sahal Abdul. (3/4)#BackTheBlue #IndianFootball #BlueTigers ????

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The midfielder continued, "About the coach, we all know his credentials and the experience he brings in. I believe that speaks volumes about how he is. I am really excited to train under him and l am sure his appointment would be a big boon for the national team."

The Camp is expected to commence from 20th May 2019 in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi. It will be interesting to see who makes the cut in the first squad under the new Indian national team coach.