India, June 4 -- The hope is that even if they cannot be as clinical as Thailand, India will do better in the front third against Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualifying game next week. And will not be overrun in midfield like they were till around the 30-minute mark against Thailand at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, around 50km from Bangkok, on Wednesday.

Should that happen, this 0-2 defeat in the FIFA International Friendly, India's first since the underwhelming 0-0 draw against Bangladesh, will be the kind of outing that helps shake off rust. For, against a team most of whose players were on club duty till Saturday, rusty India looked.

There was hesitation in the back where, due to injury and suspension, Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar A...