Chhetri returns as 28-member squad gears for Doha camp ahead of FIFA qualifiers

New Delhi, May 19: A 28-member Indian national team squad including captain Sunil Chhetri will leave for Doha on Wednesday evening for India's three forthcoming matches in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers, slated to be played from June 3 onwards.

 

 

 

As per the health parameters required to travel to Qatar, all the travelling players and staff carry with them negative test results from the RTPCR tests conducted in the last 48 hours. All of them were also in isolation in the Capital under the bio bubble at the team hotel from May 15 onwards. Stimac stated that although it is not the "ideal situation" ahead of the June qualifiers, the Blue Tigers will be putting in "intense" sessions before their matches get underway.

 

 

"It's not an ideal situation as we move ahead to the qualifiers in June. Due to the pandemic, our national camp which was slated to begin in Kolkata at the beginning of May had to get cancelled. The pandemic also robbed us of a friendly match in Dubai. However, we understand the magnitude of the situation, and it will be intense sessions in Doha to raise the tempo and try to get ready for the matches which starts with the one against the Asian Champions Qatar in Doha," Stimac averred.

 

India is scheduled to play Asian Champions Qatar on June 3, Bangladesh on June 7, and Afghanistan on June 15 with all three matches to be played at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha. Among the 28 named for the camp, Glan Martins remains the sole player to have made it to a national team camp for the first-time ever.

 

 

Meanwhile, captain Sunil Chhetri expressed his relief to get back into the national team set-up. "It's such a relief to be back in the national team squad -- after all, home is where the heart is. Personally, I am eagerly looking forward to being in Doha. The last time I was in Doha, I couldn't be a part of the match against Qatar owing to illness," Sunil, who has 72 International goals to his name, opined.

 

The senior national team has already had a camp earlier this year in Dubai, after the completion of the domestic season, following which, they participated in two FIFA international friendlies against Oman and UAE.

 

 

India's Fixtures: June 3: India vs Qatar (IST 10.30pm). June 7: Bangladesh vs India (IST 7.30pm). June 15: India vs Afghanistan (IST 7.30pm).

 

 

GOALKEEPERS: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Dheeraj Singh.

 

DEFENDERS: Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Narender Gehlot, Chinglensana Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Adil Khan, Akash Mishra, Subhashish Bose.

 

MIDFIELDERS: Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Rowllin Borges, Glan Martins, Anirudh Thapa, Pronoy Halder, Suresh Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Abdul Sahal, Yasir Mohammad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan.

 

FORWARDS: Ishan Pandita, Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh.