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Fourteen players, including Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri, will not join the preparatory camp for next month’s Asian Cup qualifying round matches against Singapore immediately, as three clubs have delayed releasing their players. This situation is a concern for head coach Khalid Jamil.
Sources indicate that all seven Bengaluru FC players, three from East Bengal, and four from Punjab FC named in the original list of 30 probables, will join the national camp in Bengaluru only towards the end of this month.
India will face Singapore in an away match on October 9 and will play against them again on October 14 in Goa. If the 14 players join the camp later this month, they will have barely a week of training time.
“Seven players from BFC, four from East
Bengal, and three from Punjab FC are not joining the camp immediately. The three clubs said they will release their players only towards the end of September,” a source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Under the rules, clubs are not obligated to release players early as the FIFA international match window is from October 6 to 14, though Jamil would have preferred a longer training period with the players.
On Friday, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) added two more players to the probables, bringing the total to 32. However, players from Mohun Bagan SG and FC Goa, who are shortlisted in the probables, will be called up later, after their AFC Champions League Two engagements. Mohun Bagan SC has a match on September 30, while FC Goa plays on September 1.
During a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, Jamil acknowledged that fewer players would be at the start of the camp.
“Depending on the player and their availability, we will see how to prepare them. We are starting the camp tomorrow, but fewer players are attending. So, we will discuss and see,” he noted.
He also mentioned that key defender Sandesh Jhingan, who recently underwent surgery for a cheekbone fracture sustained during India’s match against Iran in the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan, will be available for the Singapore games.
Jhingan was not included in the list of 30 probables but could be named among the three senior standbys.
Five players have been kept on standby—two from the U23 men’s national team and three senior players. Their names will be announced later.
India drops one place to 134 in FIFA rankings
Meanwhile, the Indian men’s team dropped one place to 134th in the latest FIFA rankings issued on Thursday, despite finishing third in the CAFA Nations Cup.
The win against higher-ranked Oman in the third-place play-off did not count for much as it was a draw at the end of regulation and extra time, with India winning on penalties. The result against Oman was considered a draw for ranking purposes.
India beat hosts Tajikistan, lost to Iran, and drew against Afghanistan in the group stage matches of the eight-nation tournament.
With PTI Inputs
