Khalid Jamil urges India players to thrive under pressure against Bangladesh in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

India aim to register their first win in the qualifiers.

Indian Football Team are set to face off against Bangladesh in their next AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier clash on Tuesday. Even though the Blue Tigers cannot qualify for the Asian Cup anymore, they are looking to play for pride and get their first win of the qualifiers in what will be their fifth game of the qualifiers.

Khalid Jamil voiced his pleasure at travelling to Bangladesh for the game. He stated, “We are very happy to be here. It’s always a pleasure because we like to play here. Bangladesh are a good team, and it’s our pleasure to be playing here.”

Decision to exclude Mohun Bagan players and Bangladesh team

When asked about his decision against selecting a single player from Mohun Bagan and how that might impact his squad, the gaffer replied: “We’ll only use players who are available, and I’m happy because everyone is working really hard. The new players know the importance of this game, so they are giving their best. For us, it’s about utilizing those players who are available for this game.”

He also had praise for the Bangladesh national team, claiming: “Bangladesh are a very good team with very good and quality players. They are strong at home and away games. They’ve shown a lot of improvement over the last year.”

Also Read: Key player battles in India vs Bangladesh in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers clash

India under pressure to win?

Upon being asked if his side are under intense pressure to defeat Bangladesh in this intense match, Jamil explained, “Definitely, pressure is there for us. Everyone knows the importance of getting a win, take responsibilities and work hard to get a positive result.

“We must know that this is a pressure game. Bangladesh have good players, not just one player but every one of their players are good. We should not take this match lightly, we have to think positively to get a positive result,” he also added.

Thoughts on failing to qualify for Asian Cup and Sunil Chhetri’s future

Jamil had a cagey response to questions about his feelings on India failing to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. He replied, “It’s very simple. We are only thinking about tomorrow’s game, it’s important for us to build up from the next game.”

The India head coach also gave an important update on Sunil Chhetri’s international future, responding to how to deal with Hamza Choudhry, he said, “We are thinking not only about one player (Hamza). The remaining of Bangladesh players are also good, so we need to think about how to stop them as well. Sunil Chhetri is retired for national matches now.”

Finally, the gaffer refuted Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s claims that the India-Bangladesh match might not be pleasing to watch. “It’s good that everyone wants to win, but everybody must work hard. The pressure is there, but we must try to get a positive result,” he finished with.

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