All of these players were overjoyed for their respective ISL teams.
Kolkata,15 March 2023: Later this month, the Indian football squad will return to play in the Tri-Nation Friendly Competition. During the FIFA international window, they will face Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan in two games.
Before to it, Igor Stimac announced a preliminary 23-man group to participate in national team training. Team India will practise in Kolkata for five days before travelling to Imphal for the games. They will play Myanmar on March 25 and Kyrgyzstan on March 28.
Stimac has assembled his best available team. He has also recognised certain players for their outstanding performance throughout the Indian Super League (ISL) season. Moreover, in addition to a slew of veterans, the team has added several fresh younger players. This article examines the five new faces on the Indian football squad for the forthcoming event.
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5) Phurba Lachenpa
Phurba Lachenpa’s March has improved after winning the ISL Shield with Mumbai City FC. He was chosen as the national team’s third goalkeeper, ahead of Vishal Kaith and Prabhsukhan Gill. Lachenpa has been praised for his consistency and dependability for Mumbai this season.
In 22 appearances, he maintained seven clean sheets and averaged over three saves per game. Lachenpa is not just an excellent shot-stopper, but he also possesses the necessary’modern-day goalie’ characteristics. With Bombay, he averaged over 15 passes each game, and his distribution, whether long kicks or accurate shorter deliveries, was flawless. The 25-year-old will be attending the Indian national football team’s training for the first time and will be hoping for some playing time in the Tri-Nation Friendly Competition.
4) Ritwik Das
Despite Jamshedpur FC having a bad season, Ritwik Das improved from the 2021-22 season and thrived this season. Ritwik was a breath of new air for Aidy Boothroyd’s side, torturing opponents with his razor-sharp flair. He made superb use of his mobility and finished well, scoring six goals in 18 outings.
Das finished the season as Jamshedpur’s leading scorer and the ISL’s equal third-highest Indian goal-getter. The winger scored three goals in their past four games to help them win three of them. Das has been included to the India team as a result of his strong conclusion to the season. In the forthcoming games, he’ll be looking to make his international debut and add another feather to his already remarkable season.
3) Rohit Kumar
Rohit Kumar was not even a starter for Bengaluru FC before the ISL season began. He was largely utilised as an enthusiastic stand-in, but it didn’t work out so well. Kumar’s commitment pleased Simon Grayson, who started him in the Blues’ 2-1 win over NorthEast United in January, which kicked off the Blues’ 11-game winning run. Kumar has started every game since then, and he has scored three goals! Furthermore, his never-say-die attitude and forceful tenacity in midfield have contributed to increased stability as well as improved defence against opponents.
Having previously played for India U-23, he now finds himself picked for the Indian football squad for the first time. The teenager hopes to make his India debut with Bengaluru teammate Suresh Singh. If he can impress Stimac with his sheer dedication and tenacity, who knows whether it can become a reality anytime soon!
2) Mehtab Singh
Mehtab Singh is another 2022-23 season breakout player. He will be recognised for his efforts in the ISL. He had a strong season with Mumbai City, starting 21 games! Singh was a mainstay at the back, with his forceful defending style negating the danger of many big players. Being a rugged and muscular figure, he averaged over three clearances and two blocks per game with the Islanders. Mehtab’s passing abilities and inclination to play out from the back were also excellent.
He averaged more than 55 passes per game with an accuracy rate of 87.66%. As a result, it’s not surprise that Stimac has called up the talented 24-year-old defender to his squad. The Croatian coach prefers defenders who can take responsibility at the back, whether by defending or passing. Mehtab meets both conditions and hopes to earn a starting spot for the Indian football team in the forthcoming Tri-Nation Friendly Competition.
1) Sivasakthi Narayanan
The most foreseeable thing was Sivasakthi Narayanan’s first India call-up for this competition. The 21-year-old enjoyed an outstanding debut season with ISL finalists Bengaluru FC, contributing significantly to their achievement. Tormenting defenders was made easier by the youngster’s superb relationship with Roy Krishna. Siva has left seasoned center-backs in awe with his blistering pace and sassy off-the-ball movement.
In 20 games, he scored six goals and gave three assists, the second-most for any Bengaluru FC player. Siva is the most probable of the new call-ups to see consistent playing time in the next games. With Stimac and the Blue Tigers in urgent need of a talented center-forward, he’ll look to fill that hole and make a mark on his debut for India.
INDIAN FOOTBALL PROVISIONAL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Phurba Lachenpa Tempa, Amrinder Singh.
Defenders: Sandesh Jhingan, Roshan Singh, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Chinglensana Konsham, Rahul Bheke, Mehtab Singh, Glan Martins.
Midfielders: Suresh Wangjam, Rohit Kumar, Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Yasir Mohammad, Ritwik Das, Jeakson Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh.
Forwards: Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Sivasakthi Narayanan.
Head Coach: Igor Stimac.
List of 11 Reserves
Goalkeepers: Vishal Kaith, Prabhsukhan Gill.
Defenders: Subhasish Bose, Pritam Kotal, Asish Rai, Narender Gahlot.
Midfielders: Liston Colaco, Nikhil Poojary, Sahal Abdul Samad, Naorem Mahesh Singh.
Forwards: Ishan Pandita.
