Indian football team is bracing for a daunting challenge in this upcoming international window. The Blue Tigers will take on Panama on September 25, and then, the marquee clashes against Brazil (October 3) and Uruguay (October 6).

As exciting as it is for Indian football fans, the upcoming fixtures carry a massive test for the Indian footballers, to see where they stand. The seasoned campaigners of world football will be up against the Indian boys, which is a testament to their progress and a massive opportunity as well to play against some of the marquee names in world football.

For Mohammed Sanan and Macarton Louis Nickson, the journey from India’s youth setup to the senior national team is entering an exciting new phase. Having spent considerable time together with the India U23s, the two youngsters are now preparing for a demanding international window featuring Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.

Their familiarity from the U23 setup could prove useful. Sanan, who operates as a direct attacking player, particularly values Nickson’s creativity and ability to release runners from midfield.

“I really like the way he plays, especially his through passes, the way he dribbles and takes on his players. I’ve been playing with him for a long time. We were together in the U23 camp, and now we are here again in the senior team camp, so I know him quite well. What I like about him the most is the through passes he gives. That’s my favourite thing about him,” said Sanan.

Nickson, in turn, highlighted Sanan’s confidence when taking on defenders, regardless of the opposition.

“I think he takes on defenders one-v-one and he’s not scared, whoever it is. He just goes for them and enjoys the game. As he said, it’s been a long time for us. We’ve been together for a while, so I really enjoy watching him play and take on players,” said the midfielder during an interview with AIFF.

Despite the heavyweight opposition, Sanan insists India’s approach will remain unchanged.

“The preparation will stay the same. We’ve been working hard to play and get better. We’ll just listen to the coach and whatever he says, we’ll try to apply that in the matches. Of course, they’re going to be difficult games, but the preparation is still the same,” he said.

Nickson has already gained experience against strong international opposition, having featured against Jamaica and Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup. He believes that exposure can help India’s young players handle the upcoming tests.