Kolkata. After playing goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar, the Indian football team will take on Bangladesh on Tuesday in their next match of the FIFA World Cup qualifier. So far India have not won a single World Cup qualifier, losing 1-2 against Oman, and drawing a match against Asian champions Qatar in an excellent game.
Sunil Chhetri, the highest goalscorer and captain for India in that match, did not play. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sanghu had taken over the reins of India in that match and the team had dashed the hopes of the Asian champions on the basis of a good defensive game under his leadership. Gurpreet himself made a brilliant defense while staying ahead. After losing two matches and losing one match, India are placed fourth in the numerical table. India will want to open their account against Bangladesh in the match table in the match played at the Indian Cricket Stadium.
However, India has suffered one loss before this match. One of his strong defenders as Sandesh Jhingan has been ruled out due to injury. In his place, coach Igor Stimak has selected Rahul Bhike in the team. Jhingan was hurt in a friendly match played against Northeast United on October 9. He will undergo surgery and will be out for nearly six months. Even the right-back Rahul, who was replaced in the squad by Xinghan, does not seem to be able to get on the field as he is suffering from groin problems.
Midfielders Amarjeet Qiyam and Prannoy Haldhar are also injured, while Rowlin Borges will be out of the match due to the ban. In such a situation, Adil Khan will be the main link in the team in Central Defense. Narendra Gehlot and Anas Idathodika can replace Jhingan in the match. Bangladesh is ranked 187th in the current FIFA rankings. At the same time, India is ranked 104. Bangladesh is below India in the chart. After suffering defeats from Afghanistan and Qatar, it remains at the bottom of the table.
The neighboring country has some talented players from the under-23 team besides veteran captain Jamala Bhuyan and midfielder Mamunul Islam. Bangladesh have competed in the World Cup qualifiers eight times since 1986 but their best result came in 1985 when they defeated Thailand and Indonesia in Dhaka. Bangladesh however could not beat India. They have lost twice to India in the qualifier. India and Bangladesh last faced each other in a World Cup qualifier in 1985 and won the match.
Indian team:
- Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amarinder Singh, Kamaljeet Singh.
- Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bhekhe, Adil Khan, Narendra, Sarthak Golui, Anas Idathodika, Mandar Rao Desai, Subhashish Bose
- Midfielders: Udanta Singh, Nikhil Pujari, Vineet Rai, Anirudh Thapa, Abdul Sahl, Rainier Fernandes, Brendan Fernandes, Lalianzuala Changte, Aashiq Kurunian
- Forward: Sunil Chhetri, Balwant Singh and Manveer Singh.