India head coach Igor Stimac names 23-man squad for the King's Cup; Sunil Chhetri set to miss the tournament

Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian men's football team, has named a 23-man squad for the upcoming King's Cup tournament, scheduled to take place in Thailand from September 7 to 10.

The tournament comprises four teams, with the Blue Tigers set to face Iraq in the semi-finals on September 7. The other semi-final will see the hosts, Thailand, competing against Lebanon. The winners will play in the final, while the losing teams will engage in a third-place contest.

Notably, Iraq are placed 70th in the FIFA rankings and could present India’s most formidable challenge in this calendar year. Despite recent losses to Colombia and Russia in friendly matches, Iraq triumphed over Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, and Oman on their way to securing the 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup.

Meanwhile, India have themselves experienced a successful year, as they won the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championship. Impressively, the Blue Tigers have maintained an unbeaten streak in their last 11 matches, and will be hoping to continue their momentum.

India's previous King's Cup appearance in 2019 resulted in them clinching the bronze medal. Although they were defeated 3-1 by Curacao in the semi-finals, they bounced back by securing a 1-0 win against hosts Thailand in the third-place match.

In terms of the squad, it's worth mentioning that Indian captain Sunil Chhetri will be absent, as he and his wife are expecting a child. The expected delivery date coincides with the tournament schedule. In his absence, Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu are potential candidates to lead the team.

Meanwhile, defender Lalchungnunga has earned his place in the senior squad for the first time, marking a significant milestone in his career. Additionally, Rahul KP has been added to the squad for the first time this year.

India's squad for the King's Cup 2023

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh.

Defenders: Asish Rai, Nikhil Poojary, Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Lalchungnunga, Akash Mishra, Subhasish Bose.

Midfielders: Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Brandon Fernandes, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa, Rohit Kumar, Ashique Kuruniyan, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte.

Forwards: Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Rahul KP.