Should India turn to U23 stars for final Asian Cup Qualifiers against Bangladesh & Hong Kong?

The Blue Tigers have failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027.

The Indian football team saw their dreams of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup evaporate after their 2-1 loss to Singapore on 14 October, 2025. The defeat means that the Blue Tigers will not be able to clinch top position in their group and will miss out on the chance to play at the 2027 AFC Asian Cup – after having played in the previous two editions.

What is perhaps adding insult to injury is that India have two more matches to play in the Asian Cup qualifiers. Indeed, they are going to have to travel to play against Bangladesh in November (2025) before hosting Hong Kong in their final qualifier in March (2026). Even winning these matches won’t matter much because of how far ahead Singapore and Hong Kong are of India.

That means the upcoming qualifiers will only be for pride for the Blue Tigers, as they aspire to win the games to improve their coefficient points in the FIFA rankings. Khalid Jamil probably needs to make some tough decisions for the future in terms of how he wants his squad to shape up for more success in the long term.

There is actually a chance for Jamil to build a strong future core for India by utilizing more young players in his India squad for the upcoming matches. With the India under-23 team producing such eye-catching performances in the past few months, it’s high time the young players start getting more exposure at the senior level to adapt to the jump from the under-23 to the main stages.

How can the under-23 players benefit from featuring in final AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers?

The majority of the players in the India under-23 squad have not yet made their senior debuts. The likes of Suhail Bhat, Ayush Chhetri and Lalrinliana Hnamte might have played for the Blue Tigers, but there are many names who are yet to get the experience of playing a highly competitive international match.

That is why it’s smart to start exposing the young players to the gruelling nature of the senior games in the upcoming qualifiers. Considering that the Blue Tigers have nothing to lose anymore, as they have already missed out on qualification for the Asian Cup, it doesn’t really matter even if they lose their remaining games.

At least allowing the under-23 players to play without any pressure and be free to work their magic around opponents will bring a sense of unpredictability to the India set-up. Khalid Jamil can also test out which players he can trust to become crucial pillars of his project with the Blue Tigers and those hungry young individuals who can make an impact in getting crucial results for India.

Which India Under-23 Players Should Be Particularly Fast-Tracked To Senior Squad?

There are some particularly talented and in-form young players from the India under-23 team to be able to possibly make an instant impact upon being fast-tracked to the senior squad. That definitely includes the talented Mohun Bagan striker Suhail Ahmed Bhat. Suhail scored two goals in India’s recent win over Indonesia U23 in a friendly game and has three goals in as many matches for them.

Suhail has already gotten a taste of how the international football scene is like for the senior team. He’s clearly improving by earning a lot of experience from the foreign strikers at Mohun Bagan and the 20-year-old has built himself as a clinical figure. He can add higher energy levels to the India set-up as well as increase their ruthlessness because of his impressive finishing qualities.

Another India U23 forward ready to break through to the senior team is the highly talented Muhammed Suhail. The Punjab FC youngster has produced some eye-catching performances for the U23 team, being a menace with his sparky movement and prolific final third. He can bring a sense of unpredictability to the Indian forward line going forward.

Vibin Mohanan has also produced some excellent performances for India under-23 level. He looks ready for the step upwards to the senior level, with the Kerala Blasters midfielder boasting impressive passing skills, tallied up with his ball-winning qualities and tendency to come up with goals.

Mohammed Aimen can also add more creativity to the India set-up with his wonderful final passes, while the Kerala Blasters star also loves getting among the goals with his crisp final product.

Moreover, the likes of Korou Singh and Ricky Meetei can add impressive depth to the India squad and pose as prominent options as impact substitutes because of their pace and ability to get things done in the final and defensive third. It’s time for Khalid Jamil to be bolder in making fearless decisions to add a new dimension to his India team set-up.

Unless he can get rid of the underperforming senior players and replace them with rejuvenated new blood, this cycle of despair is likely to continue for India and cause more frustration for the fans.

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