How can India lineup against New Zealand in international friendly
Khalid Jamil’s side will be playing their first friendly against New Zealand on Thursday.
The Indian national football team have travelled to New Zealand to face the All Whites in a couple of friendly matches in the month of November. Though they were not able to get positive results against Brazil and Uruguay in the last international break, Khalid Jamil’s side did receive praise for their style of play.
Now that the Blue Tigers will be playing away from home, it has to be seen if the team can play with the same intensity and composure. The match will be India’s first match since the start of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 season.
The Blue Tigers are currently ranked 138th and head into the match following 2 losses from Two South American giants and World Champions, Brazil & Uruguay.
In this article, we will see how Khalid Jamil might name his Indian XI against New Zealand for their friendly in Auckland on 12th November.
Formation: 4-4-2
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
Vishal Kaith (Goalkeeper)
The Mohun Bagan goalkeeper has been brought back into the Blue Tigers squad after a string of consistent performances with his club.
Khalid Jamil surprised everyone by dropping Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, as he has backed the Bengaluru FC player since becoming the head coach.
Set to play his first Indian national team game since June 2025, Kaith will have to step up his game and impress Khalid Jamil to retain his spot in the long run in India’s starting XI.
Akash Mishra (Left Back)
Khalid Jamil has retained his trust in Akash Mishra, who has been playing as India’s first-choice left-back consistently. The 24-year-old had a strong showing for the Blue Tigers in the last international break, also picking up an assist against Panama.
Though Mumbai City’s performance was far from impressive, Akash has had a decent start to his ISL 2026-27 campaign, making 37 defensive contributions and 15 recoveries in 4 league games.
Pramveer Singh (Centre Back)
With Anwar Ali injured and Sandesh Jhingan not picked up, India are lacking depth in the centre of their defence. Pramveer came on as a substitute against Brazil and started against Uruguay in the last international window; hence, we can expect the player to start as the left-sided centre-back.
The 19-year-old NorthEast United player has made 41 defensive contributions, 24 recoveries, and 29 clearances in 5 ISL games.
Bijoy Varghese (Centre Back)
Bijoy Varghese was initially slotted in the Blue Tigers squad that was playing in the SAFF Championship, and the 26-year-old even played the tournament opener against Pakistan.
However, after Anwar Ali’s injury, Khalid Jamil called up Bijoy to the squad that was travelling to New Zealand.
The Punjab FC central defender has made 30 defensive contributions, 15 recoveries, and 19 clearances in 4 ISL games.
Abhishek Singh Tekcham (Right Back)
Abhishek Singh Tekcham has solidified his place as the right-back in India’s starting XI, and unless there are any surprises, the Mohun Bagan player will be among the starters once again.
Abhishek has made 34 defensive contributions in 5 ISL games for his club this season, a decent return by all standards.
Lalremtluanga Fanai (Central Midfielder)
With Apuia injured, Khalid Jamil might turn to Fanai as his starting option for the number six role. The Bengaluru FC midfielder has been quite consistent for his club over the last three seasons, showing improvement with every passing year.
This ISL season, Fanai has made 22 defensive contributions and 10 interceptions, and he also has an assist to his name in four league matches.
Anirudh Thapa (Central Midfielder)
While Fanai will be playing a more defensive role, Anirudh Thapa can be expected to play a box-to-box role for the Indian national team against New Zealand.
The Mohun Bagan player is one of the most experienced players in the Indian national team, with 50+ appearances for the Blue Tigers.
Thapa is coming into the national team on the back of 2 assists in his last two ISL games. The 28-year-old will be expected to lead India’s midfield and supply the balls to his forwards.
Muhammad Suhail (Left Midfielder)
The left-wing/midfield position would be the toughest to call, as India has multiple options. Ashique Kuruniyan, Mohammed Sanan, and Liston Colaco can stake their claim for the starting XI. However, the best possible option could be Mohammad Suhail.
Suhail was picked up initially to be a part of India’s squad in the SAFF Championship 2026, where the 20-year-old helped India in their 3-2 win over Pakistan.
Owing to his performance, Khalid Jamil called up Suhail to the squad travelling to New Zealand. Hence, it may not make sense if the player is called up just to warm the bench.
Jithin MS (Right Midfielder)
If we look at recent performances, Jithin MS has been on fire for the high-flying NorthEast United in the ISL.
The 28-year-old has 2 goals and 1 assist in 5 league games. Jithin has also dropped down and helped his team defensively when needed, making 14 recoveries and 6 tackles aside from winning 21 duels on the pitch.
Ryan Williams (Centre Forward)
The first name on Khalid Jamil’s starting XI, Ryan Williams will start centrally for India once again. The Bengaluru FC player has been one of India’s brightest sparks since making his debut for the Blue Tigers earlier this year.
Expect Ryan to drop down to the number 10 position to help his midfield and run the play whenever needed.
Manvir Singh (Centre Forward)
The chemistry between Manvir Singh and Ryan Williams seems to be getting better with every passing game. Manvir works hard both on and off the ball and can also drift to the right wing if a tactical switch is needed.
Manvir has started the ISL 2026-27 season with one goal in five games. With Suhail Bhatt performing well in the SAFF Championship, Manvir would have to step up his game in the Indian jersey if he wants to retain his position in the long run.
When will India play against New Zealand in the November International Window?
India will play their first match against New Zealand on 12th November, with their next match scheduled for 15th November.
Who is the head coach of the Indian National Team?
Khalid Jamil is the head coach of the Indian National Football Team during their International Friendlies against New Zealand.
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.