India vs Tajikistan: Khalid Jamil's era, Gurpreet's redemption, and other talking points

India defeated Tajikistan, 2-1, in a nail-biting thriller on Friday.

Friday night brought a sigh of relief for Indian Football fans. Amid all the chaos off the pitch, the Blue Tigers have turned the heads of those who have nothing but disbelief in the Indian Football team. India registered a grinding win against Tajikistan in their opening fixture of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

The magnitude of this win is huge, not just because of its timing, but also the opposition. This is India’s first win over Tajikistan in 17 years, that too in an away fixture and in front of a packed crowd.

The Blue Tigers scored two goals courtesy of instinctive finishes from the centre-back pairing of Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan. Team India put on a gritty defensive show after scoring those two goals. This elusive victory has set the tone for the Blue Tigers in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025. In this article, we will look into the major talking points from the game between India and Tajikistan.

And there goes the final whistle! Khalid Jamil-era begins with a WIN for India! Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan scored for the Blue Tigers in the first half as they edged Tajikistan 2-1 in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 opener! #IndianFootball #IndianFootballTeam pic.twitter.com/9qPz5xz2eB

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) August 29, 2025

Also Read: Khalid Jamil’s India thump Tajikistan to kick off new era in style

Khalid Jamil’s era has kicked off

This brilliant win has marked the beginning of a new chapter in Indian Football. Watching the Indian team play against Tajikistan, Indian fans could feel that the newly appointed head coach, Khalid Jamil, has well and truly taken the reins of the team. The playing style of the team had Khalid’s imprint on it.

More than the playing style, what actually symbolised Khalid’s arrival was the fight that India showed in an away fixture in front of a hostile crowd. The Blue Tigers fought till the last minute and put their bodies on the line as if this were their last game.

The resilient character that one expects from Khalid Jamil’s team was on display. The results will not always be favourable, but one can say with conviction that Khalid and his boys would not leave any stone unturned to bring Indian Football back to winning ways.

Redemption for Gurpreet

Gurpreet: India's Impenetrable Wall 🧱#TJKIND #CAFANationsCup2025 #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/s1NjvJnRw6

— FanCode (@FanCode) August 29, 2025

There is something about belief and confidence. They can change an individual from a challenger to a champion. Not that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is not a champion, but after his recent exit from the national team due to poor form, he required someone to convey to him that he is still the ‘No.1’ for India.

Khalid Jamil straightaway brought Gurpreet into the national camp, and against Tajikistan, he gave the experienced custodian the captain’s armband, which he deserves. Gurpreet repaid that trust with a leader’s performance. He was a central figure in organising India’s resolute defence.

And when the team demanded their wall to be impregnable, he did exactly that. Gurpreet saved a penalty that proved to be the difference between the two sides. The Indian fans would be elated to see Gurpreet Singh Sandhu back in his absolute best.

It is all about winning

Khalid Jamil, in his first outing as the national team head coach, has reminded all those who follow Indian Football that, in the end, it is all about winning. Nothing else matters but the three points and a ‘W’. After all the conversation about playing style, philosophy, and tactics in the last five years, Khalid has brought the discussion back to ‘how to win matches’.

It just took one match for him to remind all the fans that crying about playing style and philosophy won’t take Indian Football, which is resource-constrained, ahead.

The fans who have rarely experienced the victorious feeling in the last twelve months must have felt a sigh of relief. With that sigh of relief, a realization would have also set in that a win can cover up for all the shortcomings. And it is only winning that can change the fortune of Indian Football, not lofty promises.

Regular starters not available? Not a big deal.

The Indian team pulled off a result against Tajikistan in the absence of some key players. This is one of the biggest positives for the Blue Tigers. Not to forget that Mohun Bagan Super Giant could not release players like Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, and Deepak Tangri.

A tiff with the federation over player management and the ongoing preparation for the AFC Champions League 2 resulted in this decision from the Indian Super League champions.

However, Khalid Jamil, in his signature style, showed that lack of resources can never be an obstacle for him. He managed to beat Tajikistan, after 17 years, at their home without regular starters. The team would only grow from strength to strength when these players integrate into the team, as it would give Khalid more freedom to execute his plans.

Dream debut for Muhammed Uvais

In terms of individual performances, debutant Muhammad Uvais stood out. The 27-year-old left-back played his first match for India on Friday and justified his place in the starting lineup. Uvais was playing under Khalid Jamil until last season at Jamshedpur FC.

The coach knew the potential of the youngster and gave him his first start in the tournament’s opening match. This reflects the faith that Khalid has in Uvais’ abilities.

The left-back lived up to the expectations and put on a performance to remember. He was defensively solid on the left and, more importantly, he looked calm on the ball. There was an element of poise in his game, which was rare to see from someone who was playing his maiden international match. Uvais’ outing against Tajikistan has almost confirmed his place in the starting lineup against Iran, unless Khalid has other plans.

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