DNA Exclusive: I knew my time would come, says footballer Ashutosh Mehta on making debut for India at age of 30

Ashutosh Mehta has had a season of his life in 2020-21. After a bout with COVID-19 in September last year and recovery from it, which took almost a month, Mehta joined a new team in the Indian Super League (ISL), Northeast United and the Mumbai-born football player hasn't looked back since.

The two-time I-League winner with Aizawl FC and Mohun Bagan, Mehta had an impressive run in the recent season of the ISL, playing a major role in NEUFC's 10-game unbeaten streak through to the play-offs with 62 tackles, 23 interceptions as well as one goal and a couple of assists.

'Playing for the country - a dream'

Starting in 2010 for Mumbai FC, it was a long wait for Mehta to don the prestigious Indian jersey and play for the country but he always knew that his time would come, sooner rather than later. Mehta finally received the maiden call-up for his side in March this year when Indian National Team played two friendlies against Oman and the UAE.

Talking about the feeling of finally getting to play for the country, the Indian right-back said, "Very good feeling, very very good feeling. It's a pride to wear that national team's kit and as I said you can start later, you can lose, you can fold, you can mess up things, but you can still succeed. So you just need to keep going and never ever give up. So I am very happy with whatever hi happening with my life and just want to thank god for the journey."

'Thoughts occurring of not playing for India'

However, it hasn't been an easy ride for the 30-year old, who was once out of favour, had a poor season in the ISL and had almost given up at the thought of playing for India, but he never had doubt on his capabilities.

Talking about that time in 2017-18, Mehta said, "Yes, after my stint with Pune (Pune FC), which was not a good one because I was out of favour, I was injured, I thought that it won't happen. That there was a possibility that it might not happen, because of my age. I had never doubted my capabilities."

Mehta had a long domestic career playing over 200 club games across leagues before he got to play for India. His journey started with Mumbai FC in 2010, which everyone knows, but he faced rejection before playing for that side too.

'Football wasn't a huge sport in growing up days in Mumbai'

Having grown up in Mumbai where cricket was the sport that everyone played, no one really knew football that much and Mehta himself started playing at the age of 14.

"Football I started playing when I was 14. I was into athletics before. Before Mumbai FC, very few people know about this I had gone on trials for Mahindra. And I was cut on the first day, first day they sent me back home and after that, we played a tournament which was organised by Mumbai FC, the name of the tournament was Junior champ. And there coach Khalid spotted me and asked me to join Mumbai FC and from there it started," he said.

'Hard work - the key to success, Jamil's teaching'

Mehta has had a long association with coach Khalid Jamil, from the now-defunct Mumbai FC to Aizawl FC and to NEUFC in the ISL and said that the only thing his main focus on is hard work. "He keeps saying there is no substitute for hard work, if you work hard, you will achieve what you want. If not today, tomorrow, if not tomorrow, day after tomorrow but in the end, you will achieve what you want if you work hard with the right mindset.

'I look up to Ronaldo'

Mehta also shed light on his hero in his growing-up days, Christiano Ronaldo, not because of the way he plays but for some other reason. "Ronaldo, Christiano Ronaldo (whom I look up to). Because of the mindest, not because of the way he plays. His head, his mentality which is something beautiful adorable. This is what I look up to, his mentality."

With India now getting ready to play in the World Cup qualifiers next month, Mehta said it hasn't been easy for the team as the trainings are not happening because of the lockdown and the restrictions. "It's been a difficult situation, the team was supposed to gather in Kolkata in the first week of May but it was a difficult situation, it couldn't happen now. Few players, it's been very long since they have played the last game. It's very difficult that you are playing the world cup qualifiers in the next three-four weeks and players haven't trained together so it becomes very difficult for the coach as well."

Mehta, however, won't be part of the camps as he is still on the road to be match-fit after recovering from his adductor injury. But he hasn't left his training and workouts, which have become a necessity for him. He said that from childhood he has been lean like that and now that he is playing for India, there isn't much motivation needed. He also shared an anecdote featuring Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri.

'Importance of diet, workout'

"When I was in Mumbai when I was 23-24, Sunil Bhai and I were in the same team, shared a dressing room. That time, I didn't have great knowledge, so I used to look at the plates of players around me, what are they eating, what has to be eaten."

Recalling what the skipper said at that time, Mehta said, " He said, 'Take care of your body now, the body will take care of you in the future.' From that time, I started to eat properly, started to sleep properly."

And finally sharing his routine to keep himself in shape and fit, Mehta said, "Wake up early, sit in sun for at least 10-15 minutes, sunlight is very important, good breakfast with high-protein, good carbs, good fats, have a good sleep, have a good intake of water, yeah that's pretty much it."