Gurpreet Singh Sandhu: Very normal to not win a trophy every single time

The Bengaluru FC and India shot-stopper is currently spending his time in quarantine in Sydney, Australia.

With the effects of the coronavirus pandemic being felt the world over, several people have been separated from their families due to the travel restrictions imposed by the governments of various countries. One such individual is Bengaluru FC and India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

The shot-stopper has been in Australia for almost a month, while his parents who are both police officers, stay and work in Chandigarh. His father, SP Tejinder Singh Sandhu of Punjab Police and mother DSP Harjit Kaur of Chandigarh Police, have to leave home every day to ensure that lockdown protocols are maintained in Chandigarh.

In conversation with IANS from Sydney, the 28-year-old opened up about his worries regarding his parents and his views on the situation as a whole in the country.

"Things in Chandigarh are fine. Mum and dad are police officers so they have to go to their jobs. So, they need to do that. They are safe. I speak to them almost every day. But, the number of cases are rising in India which is a concern,"

"I am glad that lockdown happened at the right time, especially in a country like India where we have so many people. I am really proud of the citizens who have understood the point and have stayed home," stated Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Speaking about the situation in Australia, the Bengaluru custodian was positive, saying that the curve was flattening as the population followed the government orders and stayed home.

"We are safe staying indoors, following government guidelines. I have no idea what is the timeline of my stay because of the restrictions on travel and stuff. To jab update aayega (when an update will come), I will have a plan in hand.”

"Here things are looking under control. The percentage of the virus has gone down significantly. Winter is coming. Weather is good here."

The ISL Golden Glove winner stated that he was doing non-equipment based workouts at home, apart from the work around the house.

"I try to do all the house work and keep fit by doing some non-equipment exercises. There is a ground also nearby, so I try to go there every now and then and train. But, it's not the same without the team."

In the Indian Super League season just gone by, Bengaluru FC lost out to eventual champions ATK in the semi-finals over the course of two legs.

"The season as a team, I was proud of the boys the way they played. It's very normal to not win a trophy every single time. We need to get stronger from that and learn," said Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

"Winning the Golden Glove would not have been possible without my teammates because it's a team sport and a clean sheet is a collective effort."

Finally, the 28-year-old revealed that he had also taken up a few online courses to keep his mind busy during the lockdown.

"Today itself, I started to do some online courses to pass some time. You can educate yourself, internet is there, you can learn a lot of things," concluded Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.