The 20-year-old Frenchman joined the Black Cats from French outfit Le Havre last summer and signed a five-year-long deal with the Championship outfit.
The versatile midfielder played 27 times for Sunderland last term and made two goal contributions in the process.
Ba insisted that he is very happy under Tony Mowbray and revealed his confidence is very high at the moment.
He stressed the Championship is much more physical than the French league and added that he has improved a lot physically over the last year at the Stadium of Light.
“I think I have developed a physicality because in France it’s not like the same physicality”, Ba told the Sunderland Echo.
“In the Championship you have a lot of physicality and as you get more experience and more games you learn just to keep pushing, believe in myself and keep confidence.
“At the moment I think my confidence is good.
“I’m very confident, the gaffer gave me confidence in training and in games.
“I’m very happy to work with the gaffer.”
Ba has started three games for the Black Cats this season and it remains to be seen if he will be able to grab a guaranteed starting position in Mowbray’s squad.
