The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will get underway on Friday and India will face Australia of their first match on Saturday. The Blue Tigers have actually been positioned in a little bit of a bunch of loss of life, with Australia, Syria and Uzbekistan. The lowest-ranked facet among the many three nations are Syria at 91 whereas Uzbekistan are 68th and Australia are twenty fifth on the FIFA standings. India are ranked 102, which signifies that getting any type of beneficial consequence within the group stage is a protracted shot.
The Indian staff is below no illusions about this. Captain Sunil Chhetri admitted that getting any type of beneficial consequence in opposition to Australia can be fairly an achievement. “We want to have the biggest underdogs’ result in the first game. No one, not even your friends, is giving you a chance. Imagine, if you get a result against Australia, that is something you are going to die with,” Chhetri instructed Hindustan Times. With this in thoughts, let’s check out the foremost strengths and weaknesses for India going into the match.
Strengths: Nothing to lose, shock issue, tempo on the counter
The solely actual power for India when going through sides up to now forward of them is the truth that groups like Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria have rarely performed in opposition to them within the current previous. The two sides have confronted one another simply eight instances and 6 of these got here in 1938, one in 1956. The final time they performed one another was on the 2011 Asian Cup. The final time India confronted Uzbekistan was again in 2001. India did play Syria in 2019 however that was the one recreation the 2 sides performed in opposition to one another in a decade.
The groups would do properly to not misjudge India based mostly on their rankings as Igor Stimac’s males have confirmed themselves to be a troublesome staff to beat India are positive to prioritise defence within the three group stage matches that they’ve forward of them however they’ve proven how tenacious they are often when hitting the staff on the counter, significantly with pacy full backs Nikhil Poojary and Akash Mishra charging down the wings. Finally, the actual fact there’ll hardly be any stress on India will work of their favour, particularly in the event that they do handle to take a shock lead at any level of the video games.
Weakness: Lack of dependable goalscoring choices other than Chhetri, harm points
Chhetri being India’s foremost striker on the age of 39 and being a assured starter in that place is as a lot a mirrored image of the shortage of dependable strikers for the nation as it’s a testimony to his brilliance. Moreover, Chhetri hasn’t been at his easiest in current months enjoying for Bengaluru FC within the ISL, scoring simply three targets in 11 video games. Even then, it will likely be a shock if Stimac performs Ishan Pandita forward of the Indian captain, not simply due to the latter’s stature but in addition for the truth that Pandita, like so many different Indian strikers, are but to show that they will dislodge Chhetri from the place. Regardless of his kind within the league, Chhetri all the time dials it up a notch when enjoying for India and if the opposition mark him out of the sport, India would discover it troublesome to get on the scoresheet. India are additionally moving into with a few of their essential gamers out on account of accidents. Centre-back Anwar Ali, midfielders Jeakson Singh, Rohit Kumar and ahead Ashique Kuruniyan are all not a part of the Indian squad in Qatar.
Opportunities: Chance for recreation time forward of essential World Cup qualification matches
Chhetri admitted that had India not nonetheless been within the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, this Asian Cup may have been his final worldwide match. India beat Kuwait away and misplaced to Qatar at dwelling within the street to the 2026 finals. They have by no means made that far within the qualifiers. While anticipating India to beat Australia, Syria or Uzbekistan is unrealistic, the actual fact stays that each one three sides are arguably far superior to the groups that India face subsequent within the qualifiers. The recreation time they may get right here will therefore go a great distance in making ready themselves for doing one thing that no Indian staff earlier than them have been in a position to do.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
