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The third place finish at the CAFA Cup is now a distant memory as the Blue Tigers embark on a mission that really matters — a spot in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia. A 23-member squad is now in Singapore for their Group C final round match in Kallang on Thursday.

The odds are stacked against India as they languish at the bottom of the four-team group with one point from two matches, while Singapore heads the group with four points from as many games. Only the group topper will qualify for the continental showpiece and truth be told, India’s chances of making the cut for the third time in a row after 2019 and 2023 appear tenuous.

Khalid Jamil, the taciturn head coach who has offered a glimmer of hope in the last few months to the country’s football buffs, has an obvious message for his boys — that of taking it one match at a time and not fretting about the bigger picture. “We are not looking at the overall picture at the moment. There are still four matches to go and the next one against Singapore is the most important for us right now,” he told the AIFF media team. “We cannot look too far ahead, we must go one step at a time.”

CAFA Cup: Bronze finish brings back the smiles, but is it a flash in the pan?

Unlike the CAFA Cup, where Jamil had kept the ageless Sunil Chhetri away from the reckoning and as many as seven players of ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant were not released, India will be at full strength with the 41-year-old back in the scheme of things as an answer to India's scoring woes. The news of Sandesh Jhingan, the leader of the defence, returning from injury is also a welcome news.

Speaking to National Herald in a recent interview, former national coach and Dronacharya Armando Colaço saw nothing wrong in recalling Chhetri from retirement despite the age factor. ‘’It’s up to the coach (Jamil) on how to use Chhetri — depending on his fitness and the match situation. Let’s not forget that getting goals remains a problem for the team. A moment of brilliance from Sunil — even if not for the full 90 minutes — can make the difference,’’ the Goan had said.  

The national team has been training in Bengaluru since 20 September as part of its preparations for the double-header against Singapore, with the home leg slated to be held on 14 October at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. Incidentally, the team failed to score in both its qualifiers earlier this year, with Manolo Marquez at the helm.

Jamil has kept two players — goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari and forward Muhammed Suhail — in reserve for the home game on 14 October. “Though we are travelling with 23 players, we are constantly monitoring the rest. For now, Hrithik and Suhail have been kept on standby for the two matches against Singapore,” he said.

Full India squad

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Defenders: Anwar Ali, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan

Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Deepak Tangri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Sahal Abdul Samad, Udanta Singh Kumam

Forwards: Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaço, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh

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