India vs Myanmar: 3 player battles that could decide the Hero Tri-Nation Tournament tie

The Indian men's senior national team will feature in the Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament, starting on Wednesday, March 22. The Blue Tigers will play the first of their two friendly matches against Myanmar at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal.

All the young players who have been called up to the national team roster for the first time will go through a learning curve throughout the competition. There will be possibilities for players like Phurba Lachenpa Tempa, Ritwik Das, Rohit Kumar, and Naorem Mahesh Singh to expand on their ISL successes. Old guards like Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu will be there to guide the team right through.

On that note, here are a few player battles that could determine the fixture against Myanmar:

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#1 Naorem Roshan Singh vs Maung Maung Lwin

Naorem Roshan Singh had his breakthrough season at Bengaluru FC last season and has since become a staple in the national team. He has already racked up three assists in 23 appearances. The 24-year-old is also an attacking threat down the flanks with his inch-perfect crosses.

But on Wednesday, Roshan will have to put up with the duty of keeping opposition winger Maung Maung Lwin in check. The 27-year-old wide forward is a tricky customer and the Indian full-back will have his hands full.

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#2 Brandon Fernandes vs Aung Thu

For long, India have missed a creative midfielder in the central positions. However, Brandon Fernandes has put an end to those struggles and will be crucial to the Blue Tigers' attacking harmony.

He has shown glimpses of his immense footballing talent in the ISL this season but will need to go up a few gears. The FC Goa midfielder will look to find pockets of space between the defensive lines and provide the likes of Chhetri and Chhangte.

Meanwhile, Aung Thu will serve as the creative force for the visitors. The Lamphun Warrior midfielder could be responsible for most of the ball-carrying duties in the Michael Feichtenbeiner-managed side.

Hence, Brandon will have to attempt to pin down his opponent and not allow him any room.

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#3 Lallianzuala Chhangte vs Nanda Kyaw

The exhilarating Mumbai City FC winger was at his clinical best this ISL 2022-23 season, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists in 22 appearances. Not only his goalscoring tally but even his explosiveness set the league alight and now Lallianzuala Chhangte will be hoping to carry the momentum into the national team.

The 25-year-old can be deputized to combine with Sunil Chhetri and run behind the defensive lines. But Chhangte will face the task of outfoxing Myanmar full-back Nanda Kyaw. The 26-year-old has 19 caps for his nation and is an experienced customer even at the club level.