New Delhi: India head coach Manolo Marquez dropped veteran keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu but included Sunil Chhetri in his probables squad of 28 members for the international window in June.
The players will assemble for a 10-day training camp in Kolkata on May 18 before flying off to Bangkok to face Thailand in an international friendly in June 4, following which they will move to Hong Kong for their away AFC Asian Cup qualifier at the Kai Tak Sports Park, in Kowloon City.
India were held to a 0-0 draw by Bangladesh in their opening match of Group C, also including Hong Kong and Singapore. All the four teams are stuck one one point after the first round of matches in a qualifying round played in a home-and-away round robin format.
Marquez had benched long time No.1 keeper Gurpreet for Indian Super League’s Golden Glove winner Mohun Bagan’s Vishal Kaith in the Bangladesh game in Shillong on March 25.
He had also convinced Sunil to come out of retirement to be the principal scorer of a goal-shy team though the 40-year-old Bengaluru FC captain was unable to find the net inspite of getting presentable chances.
Among the new faces, Punjab defender Nikhil Prabhu and Bagan striker Suhail Bhat has been called up while veteran winger Udanta Singh was retained.
Bagan attacking midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad and Chennaiyin FC midfielder Farukh Choudhary has been ignored
The 28-member probables list:
Goalkeepers: Hrithik Tiwari, Vishal Kaith, Gurmeet Singh Chahal, Amrinder Singh.
Defenders: Naorem Roshan Singh, Rahul Bheke, Konsham Chinglensana Singh, Anwar Ali, Thangjam Boris Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Asish Rai, Subhasish Bose, Mehtab Singh, Tekcham Abhishek Singh, Nikhil Prabhu.
Midfielders: Suresh Singh Wangjam, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Udanta Singh Kumam, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Ashique Kuruniyan, Brandon Fernandes.
Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Head Coach: Manolo Marquez.
The 28 players of the probables list will assemble for a 10-day training camp in Kolkata on May 18 before taking on Thailand in an international friendly on June 4 and Hong Kong in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier on June 10 Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
