Dikhyaa Mohanty 
As he steps foot for the third time in Bhubaneshwar, the Hockey Capital of India, Sunil Chettri is full of appreciation for the city while aiming for victory in the upcoming Intercontinental Cup 2023. India will host the Hero Intercontinental Cup for the first time in three years, with the Blue Tigers competing for dominance against the quartet of Lebanon, Vanuatu, & Mongolia. The Blue Tigers will benefit from having a home field for the much awaited competition, which runs from June 9 through June 18 at Kalinga Stadium, which has already hosted the ISL and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Sandeep Jhingan, an Indian defender, expressed his optimism for the team’s upcoming season and gratitude that Kalinga Stadium serves as their home field, saying, “I’ve had the good fortune to go across the country and enjoy many facilities and accommodations, but here at Kalinga Sports Stadium everything is top quality. It’s one of the greatest worldwide locations for us to display our skills, and I’d want to draw attention to the superb facilities. Our experience here has been really refreshing, as have the amenities and instruction. I’ve visited Europe and played in competitions at several overseas locations where football is a religion, but I’m still in awe of how Bhubaneshwar has able to surpass them with its first-rate facilities.
The national football team’s captain, Sunil Chhetri, recalled his prior trips and said, “I’ve been here before. I’ve been here three times, and the first time I came, I was up against Odisha FC. It’s a terrific development that the recently established football centers are so near to the stadium. I believe that regular visits to these facilities are necessary for everyone interested in playing football.
Chhetri continued, “We have liked the training sessions. I’ve enjoyed my time in the Bhubaneshwar grounds. The amenities are first-rate, and the compassion continues from the training area to the housing where we live after 10 days of training. The simplest of things, like the cold baths, have been handled with extreme care. In four days, our competition will begin, and we are eager to see the results of our labor.
