Which goalkeeper should start for Indian football team against Kuwait?

It will be a headache for Indian football team boss Igor Stimac to select the goalie for this fixture.

The Indian football team is set to play two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (second round) matches against Kuwait and Qatar on 6 June and 11 June 2024, respectively. Igor Stimac is under an immense pressure as he is working tirelessly to guide the Blue Tigers into the final round of the AFC region’s World Cup Qualifiers.

To that end, the tactician picked a final 27-member squad that would represent India in the upcoming fixtures. Looking at the list of players, the Blue Tigers have a wealth of experience in the goalkeeping department.

Judging by the quality of both Kuwait and Qatar, if India are to produce a positive result, then the custodian, whoever gets picked, must deliver an outstanding performance.

It is a headache for Igor Stimac in picking which goalkeeper out of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh or Vishal Kaith should start. While the responsibility falls on Stimac, here is a look at which goalkeeper should start for the Indian football team against Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium.

The Options

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Gurpreet is by far the most experienced goalkeeper in the squad with 66 appearances for the national team. The 32-year-old was under the sticks for the Blue Tigers against Kuwait in the reverse fixture and did well to keep a clean -sheet. He is the favourite to start in goal for India. 

Amrinder Singh

Amrinder was in goal for the Indian team against Qatar in the previous fixture. While India lost the game 3-0, the custodian was not helped by the defenders who were outwitted by an exceptional Qatari side in duels. While the 31-year-old made a few decent saves, his command of the penalty area could have been better,

Vishal Kaith

Vishal Kaith is the least experienced goalkeeper in the line-up to face Kuwait and Qatar. What separates Kaith from Sandhu and Singh is his composure on the ball. The 27-year-old had a brilliant season in the Indian Super League with Mohun Bagan and won the League Winner’s Shield.

Having said that, with only four appearances for the Indian team, Stimac might look towards more experienced figures to start in goal. 

The Ideal Choice

Judging by the attacking capabilities of Kuwait and Qatar, the Indian defence will be busy and the goalkeeper that gets chosen needs to have brilliant shot-stopping abilities. Furthermore, the custodian in question needs to be brave during set-pieces and advance to collect aerial crosses convincingly.

Looking at the three goalkeepers, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu seems like an ideal choice. He covers the distance behind the backline decently, producing a 100% success rate in successful runs out per game in the 2023-24 ISL.

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