The Indian team needs to secure a place in the main tournament. In the AFC Asian Cup qualifying match on Thursday, India will play Singapore while keeping this basic equation in mind. India is currently at the bottom of the group, while Singapore is at the top.
Sunil Chhetri has been called up to the team by India's head coach Khalid Jamil for this crucial match. After recuperating from an injury, Sandesh Jhingan, an accomplished defender, also makes a comeback. India's 23-man squad for the match against Singapore has been announced.
Who else made the cut?
India finds itself in Group C alongside Singapore, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. Of these teams, India has drawn against Bangladesh and suffered a defeat at the hands of Hong Kong. With just 1 point from 2 matches, they currently occupy the last position in the group. Singapore leads with 4 points. And it is against this very Singapore that India will play two consecutive matches.
The first of these, an away match, is scheduled for October 9th, i.e., Thursday. To prepare, India participated in the CAFA Nations Cup in September, where they finished in third place. However, Sunil and several other senior footballers did not feature in that tournament. They have now returned to the fold.
Although Vishal Kaith has been left out, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu remains the first-choice goalkeeper. The defense team includes the experienced Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, and Rahul Bheke. The midfield contingent includes Deepak Tangri, Brandon Fernandes, Mahesh Naorem, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Udanta Singh. In the attack, Sunil Chhetri is joined by Liston Colaco, Chhangte, and Vikram Pratap Singh.
The group champion will advance to the main tournament. However, rather than dwelling on distant prospects, coach Khalid Jamil is focusing solely on Thursday's match. The two teams will face off at the Singapore National Stadium. Jamil's eagle eye is now fixed on securing a victory in this crucial encounter.
