New Delhi [India], December 30 (ANI): Igor Stimac, the head coach of the India senior men’s team, has announced the 26-member squad for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. The news comes as the Blue Tigers prepare to make their fifth appearance in the prestigious tournament.
The Indian team is set to arrive in Doha today, ready to compete against some of the best teams in the continent. Their journey in Group B will commence with a match against Australia on January 13 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. They will then face Uzbekistan on January 18 at the same venue, before moving to the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor for a clash against Syria on January 23.
One of the surprises in the squad selection is the inclusion of midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad, who missed the past month due to injury. Additionally, central midfielder Apuiad, who was dropped from the national team due to disciplinary issues, has managed to secure his place in the squad.
Looking ahead to the tournament, Stimac highlighted some key areas of improvement, stating, The things we are looking to work on are defensive compactness, offensive transitions, and set pieces, mostly. It will be essential to focus on man-marking inside the box, as I was not satisfied with that aspect of our game. In recent matches, we have conceded some unnecessary goals in the box.
Stimac also emphasized the importance of character in the team, stating, All these boys are very similar in terms of football quality. We are a team, a family. But regardless of talent, without character, we cannot achieve anything. All three of our opponents are technically strong, physically superior, and possess great speed. Therefore, our approach to all three games will not differ significantly. We need to assess the fitness level of our players at present and see how much we can develop in the next two weeks.
The India national team is no stranger to playing in Qatar, as they have already competed in four of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches there, including two against the hosts. Additionally, veteran players Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu were part of the Indian squad in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, which also took place in Qatar. Chhetri secured goals against Bahrain and South Korea during that tournament.
Expressing his excitement for the support from Indian fans, Stimac said, I’m eager to see our Indian fans in Doha. They came out in huge numbers to support the Indian team during the qualifiers, and that was one of the reasons why we delivered two great performances against Qatar here. So, I am well aware that our boys will receive massive support. Hopefully, we can repay them by celebrating some good results.
Here is the 26-member squad selected by Igor Stimac for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023:
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.
