“Really Grateful to Play in the Durand Cup” – Shobhan Dev Biswas
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“I Hope To Have My Best Season in India With Blasters” – Noah Sadaoui
Assam Rifles Football Team have bowed out from the 133rdIndianOil Durand Cup after not being able to win any points in their three Group D encounters. Though Assam Rifles didn’t manage to qualify for the Quarter Final, it was their goalkeeper Shobhan Dev Biswas who caught everyone’s attention with his performance.
Born in Siliguri, West Bengal, Shobhan decided to pursue football after clearing his secondary examinations.“I first gave trials for SAI (Sports Authority of India) andthen I joined East Bengal’sU-18 team and I played the U-18 I-League final too. Then due to some family issues I had to be away from football and after the Covid-19 pandemic, I didn’t get any offers from any professional clubs and hence when the opportunity came, I gave trials for Assam Rifles FT in Manipur and from then I started my journey with them,” he said while speaking about his journey in football so far.
A fan of East Bengal FC, Shobhan grew up in a family of four – his father who is a police officer, mother a homemaker and a brother who currently works in Calcutta Customs. “In the near future, if I ever get a chance to play for either of Mohun Bagan or East Bengal, I will definitely go. I find East Bengal FC like my home club, but it is a dream for every youth of West Bengal to play for either of the two Kolkata Giants. So, if I ever get presented with an opportunity to play in Kolkata, I will definitely play,” the goalkeeper said while expressing his affection for the two Kolkata Giants.
During Assam Rifles FT’s encounter against the Indian Army FT, Shobhan displayed a brilliant performance where he made a total of 18 saves in the game and also saved two penalties. Speaking about his experience in playing the prestigious Durand Cup, Shobhan said, “In this edition of the Durand Cup, our boys have tried their level best. There are so many legacy Armed Forces teams playing in this tournament for a long time and we have just started playing this tournament. So, there is obviously a difference in thementality, but we have also given our best and I hope we shall be able to take this learning and get better in the future.”
“The Durand Cup is such a big tournament in India. If we keep receiving this type of platform and facilities, then we can keep showcasing our talent and potential andthis is our only wish. And for me, the Durand Cup is a tournament of massive stature because I am able to showcase my talent. People can see me playing on Sony LIV where they usually see the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. I am really grateful to have got this opportunity to perform on such a big platform,” Shobhan concluded while speaking about the platform the Durand Cup has provided for the youngsters to showcase their talent.