Grappling with accidents to key midfielders, India on Saturday named a 26-member squad for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup with Sahal Abdul Samad making the reduce however Jeakson Singh and Glan Martins lacking out on account of points associated to health.
Top defensive midfielder Jeakson, who underwent shoulder harm in November, was at all times uncertain and so was Mohun Bagan’s Martins, who acquired injured not too long ago. Both of them had been among the many 50 probables.
However, Samad, who had additionally picked up an harm early this month, managed to get into the aspect that might be spearheaded by seasoned striker Sunil Chhetri.
The Indian senior males’s group head coach Igor Stimac introduced the squad.
The Blue Tigers are on account of arrive in Doha afterward Saturday, forward of marking their fifth look within the Asian Cup.
India will play their opening Group B match in opposition to Australia on January 13 on the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan earlier than going through Uzbekistan on January 18 on the identical venue.
Stimac’s males will then transfer to the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor to tackle Syria on January 23.
“All these boys are very similar in terms of football quality. We are a team, a family. But no matter the talent, if there is no character, nothing can be achieved,” Stimac mentioned.
Sharing the areas he would need to enhance upon forward of the match, Stimac mentioned, “The things we are looking to work on are defensive compactness, offensive transitions, and the set pieces, mostly. It will be very important to work on man-marking inside the box because I was not happy with that part of our game. In the last few games, we started leaking some unnecessary goals inside the box.”
The 1998 Croatian World Cup semifinalist added, “All three of our opponents are very good technically, physically stronger with great speed. So, we are not going to have much difference in approach to all these three games, I can tell you that.
“We must test the health degree of our gamers at current and see how a lot we are able to develop within the subsequent two weeks.”
The Blue Tigers are no stranger to competing in Qatar, having played four of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches there, including two against the hosts.
Moreover, Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu were part of the Indian squad at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup which was also held in Qatar. Chhetri scored a goal each against Bahrain and South Korea.
“I’m trying ahead to seeing our Indian followers in Doha. They got here in large numbers to assist the Indian group in the course of the qualifiers, and that was one of many explanation why we had two nice performances in opposition to Qatar right here.
“So, I’m well aware that there will be massive support for our boys. Hopefully, we can pay them back and celebrate some good results,” mentioned Stimac.
India’s squad:
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Akash Mishra, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose.
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh.
Forwards: Ishan Pandita, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
