New Delhi [India], August 31 (ANI): It was not too long ago when, during the COVID pandemic, Muhammed Uvais Moyikkal could not find any club that would sign him. However, when a few years of hard work and sheer grit fast-forwarded, the defender from Malappuram, Kerala, finds himself in the senior Indian men's national team, as per the official website of All India Football Association (AIFF).

The last couple of weeks have been a blur for the 27-year-old, who, after being named in the India probables, proceeded to make it to the final squad for the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, followed by his inclusion in the starting XI of India's first-ever match in the Central Asian tournament.

Even then, the fact that it was his long throw, just five minutes into his debut, that gave India not only the lead, but also a revival of their hopes and dreams, was something that Uvais would not even have thought of, just about a month ago.

'Of course, I had always dreamed of playing for India, but when he (Khalid Jamil) became the head coach, I started to think that maybe I would now get the opportunity to play international football,' Uvais said to the-aiff.com.

'Even then, my inclusion in the probables took me by surprise. I was initially not a part of it,' he added.

'The last 10-15 days have been a blur for me. I've been getting phone calls from everyone, congratulating me. Every time I put on the jersey and went to training, I had goosebumps. It all just motivated me even more,' said Uvais.

Uvais, however, was not one to merely warm the benches. The 27-year-old admittedly went 'mute' when he found out that he would make his debut against Tajikistan, a match that India would go on to win 2-1, their first competitive win since November 2023.

'I did not know what to say or feel when the coach announced the line-up. But once we went out there, and the national anthem began playing, it all dawned on me. I'm not an emotional person, but I certainly felt it,' he said, as quoted from the official website of AIFF.

It was, in fact, his long throw that led to India's first goal.

'I did not have much in mind, actually. All I wanted to do was to put the ball in a good area inside the box, targeting Sandesh (Jhingan) paaji,' he noted.

'But this is not the time to rest on such things. Yes, we have won an important game after a long time, but we have very strong opponents in the form of IR Iran in the next game. That will be a tough one, and we need to be prepared for it,' said Uvais.

Hailing from Malappuram, Uvais has always been surrounded by the beautiful game since childhood. In fact, his father also serves as a coach at the local level, apart from being a businessman.

However, while the defender may be in dreamland right now, Uvais and his family had to endure the hardships, so much so that he could not find any clubs during the pandemic.

'That was a really tough time for me. Of course, not a lot of football was going on, so even when a tournament would happen, the demand for players would be low,' he recalled.

'We knew things were not great at home financially, but my father never let us feel it. He would always provide us with whatever we needed,' said Uvais, whose brother, Muhammed Unais, also plays football at Roots FC in Bengaluru.

A brief spell at Kerala SEB in the Kerala league was followed by redemption when Gokulam Kerala came calling, and Uvais grabbed the opportunity with both feet. Winning the I-League in 2021-22 with the Malabarians earned him a move to the Indian Super League with Jamshedpur FC, where he eventually played under Jamil for a couple of seasons.

'Khalid coach thinks about football all the time. But the best thing about him for me as a player is that he simplifies things. He always asks us to play simple. He's shown his trust in me and guided me,' said Uvais.

After the win against Tajikistan, India will next face Iran in their second Group B encounter in the CAFA Nations Cup. (ANI)