Sandesh Jhingan is down but not out.
The India and Kerala Blasters defender, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear on his left knee in the run-up to India’s World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, will have an operation on Thursday in Mumbai.
“I met Dr Anant Joshi some 11 days back in Mumbai. I could have avoided the operation but I do not want this to recur. I am at the prime of my career, so operation is the best remedy,” he told The Telegraph from Kochi. “People are saying it will take six to nine months for me to come back, but it all depends on how hard you work in the post-operative days. If you ask me, I am confident of an early return,” he added.
Early return or not only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, it’s a lengthy lay-off for Jhingan.
But the man is trying to make the best of it. “I am working on my novel. Writing is a passion for me and right now I am jotting down bits and pieces of the characters I have in my mind,” he revealed. This is of course after spending “five to six hours” at the gym daily. “In an injury like this, prehabilitation also is very important,” he said.
Jotting down notes though is nothing new for Jhingan. He has been doing this from an early age. “I write on anything and everything. Random thoughts which later I try to develop into a story.
“Since I did my D licence in coaching, I also note down any interesting practice sessions I am part of. So after practice sessions with Stephen Constantine or Igor Stimac or Eelco Schattorie I just come back and jot down. These practice notes will help me in the long run, ” he said.
Film is Jhingan’s another source of sustenance. A huge fan of Daniel Day Lewis he has seen most of the films. “In Gangs of New York he was just too good,” he said. And then there are Imitaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap too.
“Rockstar is my favourite film. I like the last scene where Jordan hallucinates Heer walking up to him. Ranbir Kappor was brilliant in that film. Tamasha also is another film I have seen many times. Ranbir and Deepika had an amazing chemistry.” And Kashyap? “Gangs of Wasseypur of course is up there. But No Smoking took the hell out of me. Ditto with Raman Raghav 2.0.”
But do literature and films help him to see life from a different angle? “Yes but when on the field I am in that zone. Two-three days before a match, I just shut myself off from everything. I am in the zone preparing myself for the match,” Jhingan said.
Is he keeping a tab on ISL VI? “Of course I am watching the matches.” And his take on India’s upcoming away matches against Afghanistan and Oman? “Those will be tough games. No doubt about it,” he said.
