Indian football is facing an unprecedented standstill, and the nation's top players are living through a period of deep uncertainty and anxiety. In a candid revelation, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the stalwart goalkeeper for both the Indian national team and Bengaluru FC, has laid bare the emotional and professional toll the extended hiatus is taking on footballers.
A Life in Limbo: Training Without a Goal
Speaking from his home in Bengaluru in mid-December 2025, Sandhu described a routine that feels alien to a professional athlete. While he enjoys time with his cats, Flower and Chubby, the absence of competitive football looms large. Normally, this period would see the Indian Super League (ISL) in full swing, with narratives and rivalries developing. Instead, players are confined to training sessions, endlessly scrolling social media for updates, and waiting.
"I don't think something like this has ever happened in Indian football before," Sandhu stated, drawing a stark contrast to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Even during Covid... there was still football." He highlighted the mental shift athletes undergo, where after the Super Cup in April, minds immediately turn to pre-season and the upcoming league. That structure, which included his off-season training stint in Norway, gave purpose to his rigorous daily regimen.
The Fear of a Career in Pause
For Sandhu, the current scenario is deeply unsettling. "I honestly feel like a sitting duck," he admitted, explaining that he now lives one week or even one day at a time, with no long-term vision. He expressed profound gratitude for being at a club like Bengaluru FC, where basic concerns are managed, but his identity feels shaken. He no longer thinks of himself as "an ISL player" but simply as a contracted professional footballer helping to keep the club's basic operations—from the kitman to the physio—functioning.
The core of his fear is starkly personal. "The thought of having no football, no games scares me. Truly. I don't have an MBA on the side. I don't have a doctorate to fall back on," Sandhu confessed. Football was the dream he chose as a child, and he has achieved milestones like playing over 200 games for his club. He emphasized that abroad, a scenario where a professional loses a full year of league matches is considered shocking and abnormal.
Fragile Ecosystem and Missed Opportunities
The crisis extends beyond star players. Sandhu pointed out the fragile state of the entire football ecosystem. Many players are not training at all, others are out of contract, and injured athletes have lost their planned rehab window. Conversations with fellow national team stalwarts like Sandesh Jhingan, Amrinder Singh, and Sunil Chhetri revolve around a single, repetitive question: "Any update?"
He also reflected on Lionel Messi's recent visit to India, seeing it as a missed opportunity for deeper engagement. Sandhu imagined how impactful it would have been if global icons like Messi could have witnessed a heated ISL derby or interacted meaningfully with Indian players to share insights. However, he acknowledged that the tour was planned long before the current crisis erupted.
A Plea to Protect the League
While understanding that the best administrative minds are seeking a solution, Sandhu made a heartfelt appeal. He believes that while administrative issues are worked out, the league should not become collateral damage. The ISL, I-League, and Indian Women's League are crucial, but so are the players who show up to train despite the pervasive uncertainty.
His final words encapsulated the collective dread of an entire generation of footballers. For those who have given their lives to the sport, the scariest prospect is not losing form, but "losing football itself." The interview, conducted by Mihir Vasavda, serves as a powerful testament to the human cost of the ongoing impasse in Indian domestic football.
