Top five surprising call-ups to India squad for Bhubaneswar camp

Some of them will be getting a debut for India if they perform well in training.

The India national football team has released its list of players who have been called up for the camp in Bhubaneswar for upcoming Hero Intercontinental Cup. The list features a few surprising inclusions, with some players who have not been part of the national team set-up for some time.

Let's have a look at them:

Vikram Partap Singh

The Mumbai City FC forward has been included in the camp for the first time. The 21-year-old was impressive in the ISL 2022-23 season. He made 19 appearances in total. However, his immense work-rate and superb involvement earned him a debut call-up to the national squad.

Jerry Mawihmingthanga

Although the Odisha FC winger has been impressive this season, the 26-year-old has been included in the India camp for the first time. His recent performances, both in the ISL and the Hero Super Cup have caught the eye of manager Igor Stimac and he has been added to the squad for the Bhubaneswar camp. By the way, this is his first call-up to the senior team!

Rahim Ali

The young striker has been included in India's camp. The 23-year-old had been in decent form for his club Chennaiyin FC this season. The reason his inclusion is surprising is because he scored only three goals in 15 appearances. However, Rahim has the potential to ignite when needed. He'll be a strong option for Stimac for sure!

Nikhil Poojary

The 27-year-old winger, who currently plays for Hyderabad FC, has been included in the Indian national camp too! Nikhil turned out to be a brilliant makeshift right-back for the club this season. His inclusion in the national camp is an indication that he is back in the reckoning for a place in the national team. Also, he'll add options to Stimac's notebook for the full-back role!

Narender Gahlot

The 22-year-old defender has been a consistent performer for Odisha FC, but has not been a regular in the national team. However, Igor Stimac has included him in the latest squad. Gahlot has only made four appearances for the national team so far, and his inclusion is seen as a sign of Stimac's willingness to try out new players.