With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the world to a standstill, athletes have been using different approaches to stay fit and sharp during such testing times. Two-time Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) Golden Glove winner Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is no different and the Indian international has been working hard on his fitness in Australia, where he has been since March.

Currently in Sydney, Gurpreet has been training with Sydney United 58 FC and Bengaluru FC teammate Erik Paartalu for some time now. "I have been training with (Sydney United 58 FC) goalkeepers. I started about 3-4 weeks back. They train two times a week and have been kind enough to let me in," the 28-year-old told IANS. "I am training two times with the goalkeeping coach (Zeljko Kalac) and two times with Erik (Paartalu). Besides that, I am working on my fitness and trying to do the best I can."

Gurpreet then explained how he’s making the most of his time while training with Sydney United 58 FC by seeking advice from their goalkeeping coach and former AC Milan shot-stopper Zeljko Kalac. "They are coached by Zeljko Kalac and it has been amazing to pick his brains. I trained with the team I think twice but after that I opted to only train during the individual goalkeeper sessions that the goalkeeper coach was doing with some of their academy keepers. Two of the boys are Huddersfield keepers... they are flying back to England tomorrow I think," the Hero ISL 2018-19 champion said.

While it’s not ideal conditions for training, Gurpreet feels that ‘something is better than nothing’ in his bid to remain fit. "The quality in training has been really good. I mean everyone is doing their bit. We don't know when things will restart. I am trying to keep fit. This is not everyday training on the pitch so it's not the same. But something is better than nothing isn't it," the Indian goalkeeper opined.

When asked about his plans of returning to India, Gurpreet added, "It depends on the situation. I am not sure at the moment. It will also depend on the camp and pre-season. I will be there whenever I am required."