Bengaluru, October 6, 2025 – Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri is set to lead the Indian national team once again after being named in the 23-member squad by head coach Khalid Jamil for the crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Singapore. The Blue Tigers will face Singapore in an away fixture on October 9, followed by a home game on October 14 in Goa.
Chhetri, 41, returns to the squad after being rested for the CAFA Nations Cup in August-September. His experience and leadership will be vital as India aims to improve its position in Group C of the qualifiers. Defender Sandesh Jhingan also makes a comeback after recovering from an injury he sustained during India's match against Iran in the CAFA Nations Cup on September 1.
India currently sits at the bottom of Group C with only one point from two matches. A positive result against Singapore is crucial to keep their hopes of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 alive. Only the group winner will secure a spot in the prestigious tournament. Singapore leads the group with four points from four games.
Coach Khalid Jamil emphasized the importance of focusing on the immediate task at hand. "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," Jamil said. "We cannot look too far ahead – we must go one step at a time".
The squad includes three goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The defensive line consists of Anwar Ali, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, and Sandesh Jhingan. The midfield selection includes Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Deepak Tangri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Udanta Singh Kumam. The forward line features Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, and Vikram Partap Singh.
Jamil has kept goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari and forward Muhammed Suhail on reserve for the home game. "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," said Jamil.
The Indian team has been training in Bengaluru since September 20 to prepare for the crucial matches against Singapore. The team will depart for Singapore on Monday.
