Three changes Khalid Jamil must make ahead of India's second friendly against New Zealand
The Blue Tigers lost 5-0 to New Zealand in the first friendly.
The Indian football team suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat to New Zealand in the first of two international friendlies of the November FIFA international window, which was played at the Go Media Stadium in New Zealand. Jesse Randall, Chris Wood and Lachlan Bayliss found their name on the scoresheet for New Zealand.
Indian senior men’s football team and losses have become synonymous now, with the Blue Tigers struggling very badly this year, registering just 1 win in 2026 under head coach Khalid Jamil. India struggled to cope with New Zealand’s physicality and technicality throughout the game in the first match.
With the second international friendly coming up next, Khalid Jamil must make changes and fix the problems.
In this article we will take a look at what the Blue Tigers can change ahead of their second friendly against New Zealand.
Abandon the 4-4-2 and put numbers to compete in the midfield
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A formation that is now rarely used in modern football is the rigid 4-4-2 formation with two strikers up front. This is what Indian head coach Khalid Jamil often uses when he fields the Blue Tigers, and this was the case even in the first friendly against the All Whites.
Due to this, the Blue Tigers struggled to compete in the midfield at all, with New Zealand exploiting the numerical advantage against India’s two-man midfield of Fanai and Anirudh Thapa.
Khalid Jamil can try to put more numbers in the midfield in the upcoming friendly with maybe a 4-3-3 formation or the 4-2-3-1 to provide better midfield control and prevent India’s midfield from being outnumbered.
A 4-2-3-1 provides good defensive solidity as well, something which can be used against higher ranked teams like New Zealand.
Perhaps greater strength in the midfield could be the trick for the Blue Tigers in the upcoming friendly.
Stop relying on long balls without a plan
For a team like India, who don’t usually keep the ball possession much under Khalid Jamil, long balls have been the norm so far.
However, India struggled to make the direct long balls work against an aerially superior team like New Zealand.
The Blue Tigers were not able to keep possession and often lost the ball through direct play, which the All Whites’ players dealt with comfortably. Manvir Singh, Ryan Williams and the Indian midfield were not able to keep the long balls and lost it very frequently.
Long balls could surely work against teams which are aerially not comfortable, but for a team like New Zealand, aerial balls will not work as they are aerially superior to the Blue Tigers.
The Indian team will need to be better in passing combinations, runs between the lines and support the forwards. Playing centrally with ball at the feet could trouble New Zealand if done properly.
More defensive work from the wingers
Another area where India struggled against New Zealand was the wings. The first friendly exposed how easily New Zealand exploited spaces out wide as we saw Jesse Randall of the All Whites dominating the right flank of the Blue Tigers.
India’s wide players must track back properly to support the defenders, something which was missing in the first friendly. Liston Colaco did drop back but offered little contribution defensively, while Jithin MS contributed nothing on the right flank defensively, resulting in most of New Zealand’s attacks coming from that side.
The Indian wingers must take greater responsibility rather than leaving the full backs completely isolated.
What was the scoreline between India and New Zealand in the first friendly?
New Zealand defeated India 5-0 in the first friendly.
When will India play New Zealand next?
India will play New Zealand on November 15 next.
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