Five India U-20 players to watch out for in Singapore friendlies

The Blue Colts are set to play two games against Singapore in Bengaluru

India’s U-20 men’s team are hard in their preparations for the start of the 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers, which is poised to begin at the end of August (2026).

Ahead of those clashes, the Blue Colts are poised to play in several friendly matches that are meant to strengthen their ability to compete strongly in the qualifiers.

India U-20 will be playing two closed-door friendly matches against Singapore U-20 in Bengaluru, India. Before those matches, Mahesh Gawali has now named his squad of players to participate in those matches.

It might be an early indication of the players that might be involved in the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification matches, with these players ready to impress in the friendly games.

Here, we look at the five India U-20 players to watch out for in the upcoming friendly matches against Singapore U-20.

5. Gunleiba Wangkheraikpam

Gunleiba Wangkheraikpam has earned a lot of praise for his impressive performances for the India U-17 side in the past, helping him earn a promotion to the Under-20 side ahead of the friendly matches.

Gunleiba has a decent amount of experience in youth-level international football, getting 10 goal contributions (five goals, five assists) in 14 appearances for the India U-17 side across multiple competitions.

The proactive player has also impressed for NorthEast United’s youth teams over the last few years, being a really unpredictable threat. He’ll definitely use the friendly matches against Singapore as a way of impressing Gawali and strengthening his role in the India U-20 side.

He will need to be energetic in winning key battles, as well as being clinical with his finishing and final third passes to prove himself as a key player for the Blue Colts.

4. Danny Meitei

Another NorthEast United youngster aspiring to make it big with the India U-20 side is the midfielder Danny Meitei, who has asserted himself as a key player for the Highlanders over the last year or so.

Danny has scored five goals in seven appearances for the India U-20 side in his career, and has also been impressing as part of the NorthEast United youth structure.

Danny is a technically gifted midfielder, capable of not only being a menace for opposition midfielders because of his pressing and ball-winning capabilities – but being especially threatening going forward.

Danny will aim to rack up more goal contributions under his belt for India U-20, and he needs to be particularly decisive to gain positive momentum before the qualifiers.

3. Dallalmuon Gangte

NorthEast United youngster Dallalmuon Gangte is another player to have been promoted to the U-20 India side ahead of the qualifiers, with Mahesh Gawali clearly impressed with how well he’s been performing at the youth level for India.

Gangte has enjoyed a pretty good youth international career so far, scoring eight goals in 13 appearances for the India U-17 side – which included four goals in as many AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification matches!

The younsgter can be a pocket of positive energy for his side in the midfield, buzzing like a bee and having an impressive level of creative acumen in his game as well. Gangte will need to perform really strongly in the upcoming friendly matches to be able to prove that he can thrive in the U20 set-up as well.

He’ll need to be crisp with his passing and innovative in consistently creating or scoring chances to prove himself as someone who can bring the cutting edge to India’s midfield.

2. Omang Dodum

Perhaps the most in-form player for the India U-20 set-up heading into the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers is their inspired young striker, Omang Dodum. The Punjab FC striker is coming off a great outing for them in the recent SAFF U-20 Championship, in which India ended up losing to Bangladesh U-20 in the final.

Despite all that, Dodum had a prolific campaign as he scored three goals and was the joint-top scorer in the competition as well. Dodum has proven himself as a really clinical finisher, being able to put away chances in the box rather efficiently.

He’ll aim to maintain his good form in the upcoming friendly matches, being clinical with putting away chances and maintaining his goal-scoring momentum for the Blue Colts as well.

1. Shami Singamayum

The captain of the India U-20 men’s side heading into the crucial away fixtures, Shami Singamayum has quite a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The youngster has already achieved some impressive feats in his career, memorably scoring the youngest-ever goal-scorer in the history of the Indian Super League (ISL) when he scored for Punjab FC against Hyderabad FC in March (2025).

Since then, Shami has kept climbing the ranks to earn a key role for the Blue Colts and he will need to justify his importance in the upcoming games.

Shami needs to be an inspired figure, consistently creating chances and driving his side forward with clever movement. He’ll also need to be extremely decisive and ruthless with his work in the final third to be able to create and finish off enough chances to guide India to some big wins before the qualifiers.

Special Mention: Yohaan Benjamin

Another notable young talent to be included in the India U-20 squad for the next few games is their promising young winger, Yohaan Benjamin. The ex-Shillong Lajong academy player is currently, of course, playing for the Slovenia side NK Bravo’s youth team.

Benjamin has earned a lot of experience with the Slovenian side, even playing in the UEFA Youth League last season and becoming the first Indian player to get that honor. Benjamin has made quite a few appearances for India so far, but he looks to stamp his authority at the U-20 level.

He’ll look to be be a thorn with his tricky movement in the wide areas, but needs to be prolific in creating big chances with his crosses and also get into more goal-scoring areas to enhance India U-20’s goal threat.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.