6 things about the Indian national team we learned from the March 2017 international break

AS THE SUMMER SLOWLY tightens its grip over the country, the intense heat of the I-League weekends simmered down for a few weeks. The club fixtures took a short hiatus as the chosen ones made their way to the national team fold where they played two matches; a friendly against Cambodia and an Asian Cup Qualifier Round 3 fixture against Myanmar, both of them away from home.

This internatonal break was an especially positive one for India, in terms of the results it yielded. India beat Cambodia in their own backyard after 64 years, got a winning start to their final Asian Cup qualifying journey, and come early April their FIFA ranking is likely to shoot up to 101, the best in years. The buzz that the Indian team is creating among fan is also the strongest in years.

But the display the Blue Tigers put up was far from perfect. The team still has many issues to chalk out. But the international break has helped in that regard as well by pointing it all out for the coaching staff and team management to labour over for the next 3-odd months until the players assemble again to play Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan.

Here's a look at 6 such lessons that we call can take from this elaborate and action-packed international break.