Former India cricket captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believes Indian football must regularly test itself against stronger international opposition if it is to raise its standards.
With teams such as Brazil, Uruguay and Panama set to visit India, Ganguly said such fixtures could provide Indian players with valuable experience against opponents operating at a much higher level.
“It’s good. Why wouldn’t it be good to play football against big teams?” Ganguly said when asked about the significance of these international matches.
However, he stressed that games against leading football nations should not remain isolated occasions. For Indian players to develop, Ganguly feels they need sustained exposure to quality opposition across the year.
“This needs to happen throughout the year so that players get proper exposure. I always believe that playing against teams better than yourself helps improve your own game,” he said.
Ganguly represented India for more than a decade and later moved into cricket administration, drew on cricket’s experience to explain why consistent high-level competition matters.
He pointed out that Indian cricketers regularly face some of the strongest teams in the world across formats and conditions, forcing players to constantly adapt and improve.
“Look at cricket, they play against top-quality teams all year round, which is why they get better. The same approach needs to be applied here,” Ganguly added.
The former captain also expressed hope that the All India Football Federation would work towards creating a more consistent international programme for the national team.
For Ganguly, the visits of established football nations such as Brazil and Uruguay represent an important opportunity, but their long-term value will depend on whether similar matches become a regular part of India’s football calendar.
His message is that occasional high-profile fixtures can provide excitement and experience, but sustained progress requires Indian footballers to repeatedly compete against teams that challenge them technically, tactically and physically.
Ganguly believes that the principle that has helped Indian cricket evolve applies equally to football: improvement comes from repeatedly testing yourself against the best.