Stability in midfield, new faces & other talking points from Indian Football Team's squad for WC Qualifiers against Afghanistan

Indian Football Team head coach Igor Stimac announced a 25-man squad for the vital clashes against Afghanistan.

The Indian football team will return to action for the first time since their forgetful 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign. The Blue Tigers will play Afghanistan across two matches in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers.

Ahead of the qualifiers, India’s head coach Igor Stimac announced a 25-man squad. India’s first game against Afghanistan will be played on March 22 at 12:30 AM IST at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City in Abha, Saudi Arabia. The return fixture will be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26.

Let us take a look at the talking points from Igor Stimac’s squad selection:

Stability in the middle of the park

Igor Stimac has maintained continuity and stability in the midfield department. Despite being out of form, he has kept faith with players like Anirudh Thapa and Brandon Fernandes. Moreover, Jeakson Singh’s return to the team is good news for the Blue Tigers considering what he brings to the table for the national team. 

The Croatian tactician has kept things very similar and has avoided making changes in the middle of the park. Sahal Abdul Samad, Apuia, Deepak Tangri, Naorem Mahesh Singh and Suresh Singh Wangjam continue to be in the squad. These players are regular participants for the national team. They have a good understanding and chemistry between them which is a very big boost for the team.

New faces in the team

Jay Gupta, Imran Khan and Amey Ranawade have earned their maiden national team call-ups. The trio has been among the best Indian players in the ISL so far. Jay Gupta made it to the headlines for his contributions on the pitch for FC Goa with his attack-minded gameplay.

Imran Khan has been one of the impactful Indian players, having scored twice and provided two assists so far this season. His pace coupled with his ability to put in pinpoint crosses is what makes him so special. Meanwhile, Amey Ranawade has displayed maturity and consistency at the back for Odisha FC. He is a player who can contribute on either ends of the pitch and will be a strong contender for the right-back position.

Proactive squad selection

For the first time since taking over the reins as the head coach of the Indian national men’s senior team, Igor Stimac has chosen a more attack-minded squad. This time he has included more attacking players in midfielders and forwards than defenders.

This decision makes clear Igor Stimac’s approach going into the games. He has changed his conservative approach and is now going all out for wins against Afghanistan. More attacking players will give the team an edge in the opposition half and will allow them to create and convert more chances.

Exclusion of Nandhakumar Sekar and Puitea

After Igor Stimac announced his 25-man squad for the qualifiers against Afghanistan, fans and football pundits across the country raised questions about the absence of Nandhakumar Sekar and Puitea. The two players missed out on national team call-ups despite being among the most consistent Indian players in the ISL this season. 

Nadhakumar has scored nine goals across all competitions for East Bengal this season and is enjoying the best form of his life. Meanwhile, Puitea has been one of the most influential players for Sergio Lobera’s Odisha FC and has a goal and an assist to his name. Moreover, he has a passing accuracy of 86% while completing 736 passes so far this season.

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