Khalid Jamil Leads India in CAFA Nations Cup Debut

Bengaluru, Aug 25 (PTI) — The Indian football team will embark on a new chapter as Khalid Jamil takes charge as the head coach. On Monday, he announced a 23-player squad for India's participation in the CAFA Nations Cup starting August 29, which will be Jamil’s first assignment leading the national team. The Blue Tigers are set to travel to Tajikistan, where they will clash in Group B alongside hosts Tajikistan, defending champions Iran, and Afghanistan. India’s opening match is against Tajikistan on August 29, followed by encounters with Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4. Jamil finalized his squad after a selection camp with 29 players. However, Mohun Bagan declined to release their seven players, citing that the tournament isn't scheduled during a FIFA window. Despite this, East Bengal players Anwar Ali, Naorem Mahesh Singh, and Jeakson Singh Thounaojam joined the national camp last Friday. Jithin MS also joined the squad on Sunday post-club commitments. Jamil has included all four in the squad for the CAFA Nations Cup. Veteran goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has made a comeback to the team. In contrast, Sunil Chhetri did not get a call-up for the camp. Players like Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, and Subhasish Bose from Mohun Bagan were also not considered after their club's refusal to release them. The tournament format will see the top two teams from each group advancing to the play-offs on September 8, with the third-place match in Dushanbe and the final in Tashkent. Jamil's new role follows his impressive coaching stint with Jamshedpur FC. Currently, India is struggling in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, with only one point from their initial two matches, placing them at the foot of their group. Jamil commenced his preparations with the Blue Tigers on August 1.

India squad:

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Hrithik Tiwar.

Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Naorem Roshan Singh, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Chinglensana Singh, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvai.

Midfielders: Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Danish Farooq Bhat, Jeakson Singh, Boris Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, Udanta Singh, Naorem Mahesh Sing.

Forwards: Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh (Jr.), Jithin MS, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Vikram Partap Singh.

Head Coach: Khalid Jamil.

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