The Indian senior men’s football team will have both Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan back in action as head coach Khalid Jamil named his 23-member squad for the upcoming Asian Cup Qualifiers away fixture against Singapore on October 9.
Chhetri, 41, who had announced his international retirement earlier this year before making a comeback, did not feature in the CAFA Nations Cup held in August and September. However, he has now been recalled to strengthen the attack for the crucial Group C encounter.
Jhingan, who had sustained an injury during India’s group-stage match against Iran in Hisor, Tajikistan, on September 1, has also recovered and will travel with the squad.
The Blue Tigers have been based in Bengaluru since September 20, where they have been training for the double-header against Singapore. After the away tie, the home leg will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on October 14. The team left for Singapore on Monday, October 6.
India currently sit at the bottom of the group table with one point from two matches. Singapore lead the group with four points from as many games. Only the team finishing at the top will secure qualification for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
Speaking before the team’s departure, Jamil emphasised the need to stay focused on the immediate challenge. “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,” he said. “We cannot look too far ahead – we must go one step at a time.”
Although Jamil has named 23 players for the trip, he confirmed that two more — goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari and forward Muhammed Suhail — remain in reserve for the home leg. “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,” Jamil added.
The squad includes goalkeepers Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; defenders Anwar Ali, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, and Sandesh Jhingan; midfielders Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Deepak Tangri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Udanta Singh Kumam; and forwards Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, and Vikram Partap Singh.
