India name 28-member second-string squad for SAFF title defence in Dhaka

India have announced a 28-member squad for their mission to retain the SAFF Championship title. The tournament will be held in Dhaka from 5 to 17 November, with India's under-23 head coach Naushad Moosa in charge of the team and under-15 coach Bibiano Fernandes as his assistant.

India are not, however, sending a full-strength team. Most of the footballers in the squad are from the under-23 team. With two friendly matches against New Zealand also scheduled in November, a second-string side has been sent for the SAFF tournament.

Six players from the squad announced for the September-October matches against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay are in this SAFF squad: Bijoy Varghese, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Farukh Choudhury, Macarton Nickson, Ricky John Shabong and Irfan Yadwad. Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Suresh Singh Wangjam, who were in the reserves of that squad, are also in the 28-member SAFF list.

Eighteen of the footballers will arrive in Dhaka from Kolkata on 3 November. The remaining 10 will join the team later, after receiving clearance from their clubs.

The top two teams from each of the two groups will advance to the semi-finals. The last-four matches will be held on 14 November and the final on 17 November, with all matches at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

Hosts Bangladesh are in Group A with Sri Lanka and Bhutan. India's companions in Group B are the Maldives and Pakistan.

India will begin their title-defence campaign against Pakistan on 5 November, and will face the Maldives on 11 November.

The announced goalkeepers are Arsh Anwar Sheikh, K Mohanraj and Priyansh Dubey. The defenders are Abdul Rabeeh, Bijoy Varghese, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Mohammad Uvais, Nathan Rodrigues, Roni Kharbudon and Sandeep Mandi. The midfielders are Abhishek Suryavanshi, Addison Singh Thokchom, Bryson Fernandes, Ebindas Yesudasan, Farukh Choudhury, Macarton Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Nikhil Prabhu, Noufal PN, Ricky John Shabong and Suresh Singh Wangjam. The forwards are Irfan Yadwad, Liston Colaco, Mohammed Suhail, Vishnu PV and Suhail Ahmad Bhat.

In the most recent SAFF tournament, held in Bengaluru in 2023, India beat Kuwait in the final to become champions. This time in Dhaka, the challenge of retaining that title awaits them with a second-string team.