Indian senior men’s team head coach Igor Stimac, on Saturday, May 4, 2024, announced his first list of 26 probables for the Bhubaneswar camp in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 matches against Kuwait and Qatar. The second list of probables will be announced in a few days.
Stimac hasn’t named any players from Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Mumbai City FC in the list as both teams will be engaged in the ISL Final on Saturday, and they will likely be given a short period of recovery time before joining the camp in Bhubaneswar.
Additionally, after a long time, four I-League players have been named in the national team probables. A few months ago, Stimac promised to give opportunities to players who have impressed in the I-League. Muhammad Hammad (Real Kashmir FC), Edmund Lalrindika (Inter Kashi), David Lalhlansanga (Mohammedan SC), and Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia (Aizawl FC) will have the chance to showcase their abilities to the national coach during the camp in the Odisha capital.
India will begin their training camp in the Odisha capital on May 10. The Blue Tigers will take on Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 before travelling to face Qatar in Doha on June 11 in their last two matches of Group A. India are currently placed second in the group, with four points from four matches. The top two teams in the group will qualify for Round 3 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and book their berth at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
The first list of 26 probables for the Bhubaneswar camp:
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Defenders: Amey Ganesh Ranawade, Jay Gupta, Lalchungnunga, Muhammad Hammad, Narender, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem.
Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Edmund Lalrindika, Imran Khan, Isak Vanlalruatfela, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Mohammad Yasir, Nandhakumar Sekar, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Vibin Mohanan.
Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Jithin Madathil Subran, Lalrinzuala, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri.