India's Jhingan Out of CAFA Nations Cup Due to Injury

Hisor (Tajikistan), Sep 3 (PTI) - In a significant setback for the Indian football team, star defender Sandesh Jhingan has been sidelined for the remaining matches of the CAFA Nations Cup due to an injury sustained during the team's 0-3 loss against Iran.

Jhingan's absence is a considerable blow for the 32-year-old stalwart as India faces a formidable Afghanistan team in their third and decisive Group B encounter scheduled for Thursday.

Currently, India occupies the second spot in the four-team group, having secured three points from two matches. This includes an exhilarating victory over hosts Tajikistan, followed by the defeat by one of Asia's top teams and the world No. 20, Iran.

Iran tops the group with a perfect six points from two matches. India's advancement in the tournament now heavily depends on their performance against Afghanistan.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on 'X', "Defender Sandesh Jhingan had sustained an injury during India's CAFA Nations Cup 2025 match against Iran and has been ruled out of the remaining matches. He will return to India today."

Before his injury, Jhingan was instrumental in India's initial 2-1 triumph over Tajikistan, ranked 106th globally, with defenders Anwar Ali and Jhingan himself scoring in the 5th and 13th minutes, respectively.

The ongoing tournament, featuring predominantly Central Asian nations, holds critical importance for India as they gear up for the Asian Cup qualifying matches against Singapore on October 9 and 14.