Indian men’s national team head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 23-member squad for the crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier double-header against Singapore. The squad, announced on Sunday, features the return of captain Sunil Chhetri, 41, and defender Sandesh Jhingan. The Blue Tigers will first travel to face Singapore at the National Stadium on October 9, before hosting the return leg at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on October 14.
The upcoming matches are critical for India's qualification campaign. The team is currently at the bottom of Group C with just one point from their first two matches, while Singapore leads the group with four points from two games. With only the top team from the group advancing to the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia, the fixtures against the group leaders are must-win encounters for India to keep their hopes alive.
On the eve of the team's departure, coach Khalid Jamil emphasized a focused, match-by-match approach. “We are not looking at the overall picture at the moment. There are still four matches to go, and the next one against Singapore is the most important for us right now,” Jamil stated. “We cannot look too far ahead; we must go one step at a time.”
The squad has been in a preparatory camp in Bengaluru since September 20. While 23 players will travel to Singapore for the away fixture, Jamil has also placed two players on standby for the home game in Goa. “Though we are travelling with 23 players, we are constantly monitoring the rest. For now, Hrithik and Suhail have been kept on standby for the two matches against Singapore,” the coach confirmed, referring to goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari and forward Muhammed Suhail.
The 23-member squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Defenders: Anwar Ali, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan.
Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Deepak Tangri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Sahal Abdul Samad, Udanta Singh Kumam.
Forwards: Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh.