India’s senior men’s team head coach, Igor Stimac, has announced the 26-member squad for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. The Blue Tigers will arrive in Doha on December 30, 2023, for their fifth appearance in the Asian Cup. India will play its opening Group B match against Australia on January 13, 2024, at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, followed by Uzbekistan on January 18. Stimac’s men will then move to the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor to take on Syria on January 23. Stimac emphasized the importance of character and defensive compactness, as well as offensive transitions and set pieces. He also highlighted the need to improve man-marking inside the box, as the team has been leaking unnecessary goals in recent games. Stimac also acknowledged the technical, physical, and speed of the opponents, but emphasized the need to assess the fitness level of the players and assess their potential development in the next two weeks.
The Indian Blue Tigers, who have played four of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches in Qatar, are excited to face the massive support of the Indian fans in Doha. Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who were part of the Indian squad at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, scored goals against Bahrain and South Korea. The Indian team is looking forward to celebrating their success against Qatar, as they anticipate massive support from the Indian fans.
India's AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Squad
– 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
