Top three players who could make India debut in the upcoming friendlies

These players are newcomers into the Indian Football team and hungry to impress.

The Indian national men’s football team will play two friendlies against Bahrain and Belarus on 23 and 26 March 2022 respectively. The final list of 25 players who will be part of the India team was recently confirmed. Among the selected individuals, there are seven new faces who got the nod after noteworthy campaigns for their respective clubs in the Indian Super League.

Players like Prabhsukhan Gill, Anwar Ali, Hormipam Ruivah, Danish Farooq, Roshan Singh, VP Suhair, and Aniket Jadhav will be hoping to secure their debuts during the Indian football team's friendlies with Bahrain and Belarus. The competition for a starting place is going to be tough and getting a debut will be a big task for these players, despite their recent form.

Having said that, India’s head coach Igor Stimac will look towards three particular faces from the newcomers and consider giving their international debuts. Here is a look at three players who can make their debuts for the Indian football team during the international friendlies:

3. Roshan Singh

Bengaluru FC had a disappointing season, but one of their players shone very brightly amidst the clouds of despair. Roshan Singh had a very impressive ISL campaign and won the ISL Emerging Player of the Season award. The full-back had one goal and seven assists (joint-second-highest in the league) from 17 appearances.

The best quality of Roshan is his ability with both feet. He can deliver crosses from both right and left foot, producing incredible accuracy. Igor Stimac should seriously consider starting him, as the player provides a great option in multiple areas, joins the attack and defends astutely. Furthermore, Roshan’s reliable deliveries from corners and free-kicks will be a major asset for the Indian football team.

2. Danish Farooq

Danish Farooq is another Bengaluru FC player who won a lot of hearts. Marco Pezzaiuoli was particularly impressed by the midfielder, who was playing his first season in the Indian Super League. The Blues had a lack of creativity and energy in the midfield department. This is where Danish found his perfect role.

The box-to-box midfielder scored three goals and made two assists in 17 matches for the Blues. He could solve a lot of issues in midfield for Stimac and Indian Football Team. He can play as a No. 10 given Brandon Fernandes did not have an ideal ISL season. With Lalengmawia absent, Farooq should get a start in the lineup. One of the many qualities he brings to the table is incredible work rate, which will be crucial against teams that are strong in retaining possession. 

1. Ruivah Hormipam

Ruivah Hormipam was a major factor in Kerala Blasters reaching the ISL 2021-22 final. The centre-back forged a solid partnership with Marko Leskovic. He played 14 matches and did not receive a single yellow card. The defender also had 67 clearances to his name. 

The 21-year-old showed his incredible potential in the first ISL campaign of his career, winning a lot of praise in the process. He could slot in alongside Sandesh Jhingan for the Indian Football Team. It will be interesting to see if and how Stimac incorporates the highly talented defender.