Two SAFF medals, two different memories for Jodric
Jodric Abranches
' ability to learn and adapt is making him one of the more promising younger footballers from Goa.
At just 17-years-old, the
Dempo SC
centre-back has attracted attention with his stellar performance in India's title-winning campaign at the
SAFF U-19 Championships
at Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, recently.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The Verna resident played in all of India's four games in the tournament, including the final where they edged past Bangladesh in a nervy penalty shootout.
'Jodric was ready to learn and adapt,' coach
Bibiano Fernandes
told TOI. 'In the future, he can be one of the best defenders Goa and India will have. He has composure, game reading, anticipation. He can surely be part of important teams.'
The gold at the
SAFF
U-19 Championships was a satisfying one for
Jodric
but it wasn't his first.
Not many know that he had already won a SAFF title being part of the U-17 side coached by Ishfaq Ahmed last season. But though he returned home with his first international medal, he hardly played any minutes.
Jodric learned from that experience and knew what he had to do to circle a starting role.
'I worked harder and proved what I am capable of,' said Jodric. 'I was never demotivated. I realised I had to step up my game.'
His performance has earned him praise from his coach, though he will do well not to get carried away.
The youngster has been supported by his club with coach Pradeep Chopdekar having the biggest influence since he joined the residential academy.
'I have been with coach Pradeep for a long time and he has helped me a lot. Because of his hard work, I am a better player. It has been a good experience,' said Jodric.
When Jodric was called up for the U-19 probables, he was well prepared. Of the 50-odd players who were summoned, Jodric cut into the final squad of 23 without breaking into sweat.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Being part of the India junior teams in the last two seasons has been a boost to Jodric's career. Coach Bibiano's return to India coaching set up has proved to be an additional blessing.
'I like coach (Bibiano) very much. It was good for me with him. I like his tactics and everything he teaches. My next goal is to play in the
ISL
and represent the senior national team one day,' said Jodric.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Told him he won't hit everytime, I'll hit too,says Akashdeep on Duckett send-off row
Lucknow: Opening up on the controversy involving Ben Duckett during the Oval Test match between India and England recently, Indian pacer Akashdeep said that he told Duckett that he won't be the only one to hit and he would hit too. During the Test match at The Oval, Akashdeep gave a send-off to England by putting his hand around his shoulder and uttering a few words to him after dismissing him. "On a cricket field, you need to keep a cool head and a warm body. I told Duckett, 'You won't be the only one hitting; I'll hit too. Sometimes you miss, and I hit'." He said that Duckett told him that he would not be able to dismiss him and whatever he said to Duckett was in response. After the series, Akashdeep has been spending quality time with his family and also paid a visit to Lucknow to meet his sisters on Rakshabandhan. Despite being busy with celebrations, Akashdeep took time out to talk to TOI on his experiences and exploits during the long England tour. "It was quite a good experience. Every pace bowler wants to play in England. Although the wickets were not as we had expected, we still put our heart and soul into every match to end the hard-fought series on even terms. The series was a great learning opportunity for me," he said. "Taking ten wickets individually in a match (at Edgbaston which India won) is quite significant but scoring a half-century for the team was more important to me. While I was working on my half-century, the only thing on my mind was not to get out and to keep playing," he said. On the final day of the last Test at the Oval, he said, "I woke up early due to excitement, knowing we needed four wickets, and they (England) wanted just 35 runs, and that only we three pacers had to do it. Only three players were in the game, but we believed in ourselves, and the England batters apparently panicked. We didn't know the ball would start swinging in the morning, but once it did, we realized the wickets would fall quickly, and that's what happened. " Talking about the atmosphere at the Oval on the final day, he said, "There was tremendous support inside the ground; the way people came to watch and cheered for the four wickets was thrilling. Everyone knew the match would end in half an hour, but the stadium was packed, and the crowds were amazing." Speaking about the pressure of a catch, Akashdeep said that even after taking the catch, he went to the boundary, which was quite far. "I could have saved the six, but when I fell, I realized I was outside the boundary. Even if I had caught it, I would have gone out of bounds. It was an important catch, and I could have prevented a six. I knew that the way England players were playing, they could get out at any time," he said. Talking about Mohd Siraj, he said, "As a fast bowler, he is quite fit, and the way he puts in effort behind the ball sets him apart. Playing five consecutive matches is commendable. From this, one learns that being mentally fit is more important than being physically fit." Akashdeep pulled off a remarkable knock during the third day, scoring a gritty 66 as night watchman to frustrate England bowlers and help India regain control of the match. Asked how important it is for a fast bowler to maintain workload, he said: "Experienced players who have bowled a lot need to understand their bodies. As fast bowlers, we must maintain the training schedule and hard work in the process." On fitness and recovery after long spells of bowling, Akashdeep said, "It is a bit challenging, especially when there is only a three-day break (between Test matches), but then one must stay mentally strong. Our mind controls the body, and when the mind knows that we have to play again after three days, the body gets ready." "We must treat our body like a temple, whether it's diet or training, and manage what is within our control. Injuries aren't in our hands, but staying fit and training are," he added. On how he sees his chances of playing white ball cricket, especially with the Asia Cup and World Cup in future, he said, "Improving myself and performing is in my hands, selection is not. Creating the best version of myself is within my control." Asked about dedicating his 10-wicket match haul in the second Test at Birmingham to his elder sister who is suffering from cancer, he said, "My message was not just for my sister; it was for the entire country and the world, emphasizing the importance of standing by loved ones during difficult times." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
How a 21-year-old ended up getting calls from Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers; here's what happened
A strange mix-up led to Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar's old mobile number landing in the hands of a 21-year-old from Chhattisgarh, sparking calls from some of cricket's biggest names, as reported by TOI. Manish Bisi, from Madagaon village in Gariaband district, bought a new SIM from a Devbhog mobile shop in late June. A week later, while setting up WhatsApp with a friend's help, Patidar's photo appeared as the profile picture. 'We initially thought it was a glitch,' Manish told TOI. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Soon after, calls began pouring in from numbers claiming to be Virat Kohli , AB de Villiers , Yash Dayal, and others — all addressing him as 'Rajat.' Thinking it was a prank, Manish and his friends kept the conversations going for nearly two weeks. Gariaband SP Nikhil Rakhecha explained that the number had probably been inactive for six months before being reissued under telecom rules. 'We have now returned the number to cricketer Rajat Patidar,' he told TOI. The matter came to light when Patidar, unable to access his old number, reached out to the Madhya Pradesh Cyber Cell. They alerted Gariaband police, who traced Manish, recovered the SIM, and sent it back to the cricketer. Live Events A die-hard Virat Kohli supporter, Manish called the experience unforgettable: 'I hope to meet Patidar someday.' [With TOI inputs]
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Lone Bihar athlete Sunny Kumar looking forward to compete with idol Murali Sreeshankar
BHUBANESWAR: Long jumper Sunny Kumar , who will be competing at the Bronze level Continental Tour at Kalinga Stadium here, is the only athlete from Bihar to take part in the competition. It's the first international competition for the 24-year-old and he got the chance courtesy of a 7.90m jump that he achieved at the Indian Open Athletics meet held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru in June. He even achieved a mark of 7.80m at the Indian Open Jumps Competition but his big target now is to break the 8m mark. But for now, he is just looking forward to competing with Murali Sreeshankar , whom he idolises. 'I had competed with him when I was in my juniors but this will be my first as a senior and it's going to be really special,' said Sunny on Saturday. Asked what it is that he likes about the Commonwealth Games silver-medalist, Sunny said, 'He has a great mindset. It always seems he can achieve anything. And his running is just mind-blowing. I have also been training with him for a while and watching him train only gave me goosebumps.' However, on Sunday, rather than being awestruck by Murali, Sunny will need to focus better on his own jumps. Asked where he will need to work on in the coming days, the Bihar athlete said, 'I need to work on my technique as far as my landing is concerned. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Hotels Redefine Luxury – Wait Until You See What's Inside Explore Undo It's not always consistent because of which I am unable to achieve the maximum distance.' While he has been working on these aspects under coach Bhupinder Singh in Trivandrum over the past two years, he credited his first coach Mukesh Kumar Singh in helping him build the foundation when he first started out in 2018 at Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna. 'He trained me really well and built a very good foundation thanks to which I can do all the advanced training quite easily,' added the Begusarai resident, who will next take part in the Inter-State Athletics meet later this month. Asked what made him take up the sport, Sunny, meanwhile, added, 'I used to take part in the school athletics meets regularly. Later after shifting to Patna for high schooling, I thought of taking up the sport because I felt that I am made for this. I did a lot of research and eventually chose the long jump.' Meanwhile, although he is the only one from the state to be competing in this event, he believes his feat will inspire many others in Bihar to take up the sport and excel. But his big target is to make it to the Asian Games next year. Considering how he has gone from 7.17m that he achieved in April last year to 7.90m this year, it doesn't seem impossible at all. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
