Syed Rahim Nabi hopes to win his place back in the India squad after being dropped for the last three international friendlies.

“I have full faith that I can make a comeback. I think I wasn’t chosen because I wasn’t fully fit.. I can be called back in future,” he told Goal on the sidelines of Nike’s Risk Everything initiative in Mumbai.

With the Indian national team unlikely to play a game later this year, Nabi highlighted the need for the Blue Tigers to be more active in the international arena.

“There need to be more matches for Indian football to progress. They are trying to get more matches. Wim Koevermans is trying to get more international matches. He is doing his best and we have spoken about it several times,” he said.

With Koevermans opting to go for several youngsters such as Narayan Das and Sandesh Jhingan in his squad, Nabi believes that a competitive environment is essential to succeed as it would push every player to be at his best.

“It’s good for the whole team that new players are coming in. It’s good for them and for us. The coach gets an idea about how they are and how well they can play. However they (the youngsters) cannot start playing suddenly. They have to come up slowly through the ranks.

“Without competition there can be no improvement and that is very true. Only if I get competition in the team will I practice seriously. What Wim is doing is correct. It’s good for the youth and it gives us competition,” he opined.

Nabi, who still has a year to go in his contract with IMG-Reliance mentioned of an interest from Kolkata’s two big clubs. He added that any decision on his future has to be taken in consultation with IMG-Reliance.

“I actually have a two-year contract from which an year has been completed. Yes, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are interested. Before talking to them I have to talk to IMG because I am an IMG-Reliance player and they pay my salary. The I-League just got over and no one contacts people so soon. But initial contact has been made with Mohun Bagan,” he said.