India's first-choice goalkeeper was on Sunday named the captain of the team for the must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Qatar in Doha. (More Football News)
India will play ho♐sts Qatar in the return fixture at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday.
The India senior men's team landed in Doha on Saturday night for the match in which a win could pave the way for a maiden entry into the third round of World Cup qualifiers.
Head coach Igor Stim🐠ac had named a 23-member squa𒀰d for the fixture.
Apart from Sunil Chhetri, who retired aft🦹er his last game for the country against Kuwait on Thursday, defenders Ameyꦡ Ranawade, Lalchungnunga and Subhasish Bose did not travel to Qatar.
Bose was released on his request because o༺f personal reasons.
Ab🔯out Ranawade and Lalchungnunga, Stimac said, "I was happy to have both of them with us. We worked on various aspects of their game for the future. We had a nice talk before we released them and they know which parts of t🥃heir game they need to grow for the upcoming season.
"I hope both of them will use the time ahead to improve and 🔴co✅me back stronger."
As far as the capt❀ain's armband is concerned, Stimac mentioned that it was a no-brainer to hand it to Gurpreet.
With 71 caps, the 32-year-old is the most experienced and longest-serving player in the national tea♏m after Chhetri's retir𒆙ement.
"Gurpreet was 🦋one of our captains alongside Sunil and Sandesh (Jhi♎ngan) for the past five years, so naturally he is the one to take responsibility at this moment," said Stimac.
India's next opponents Qatar, who have already qualified f🀅or the third round as group-toppers, have named a largely young squad, w🎀ith 21 out of their 29 players below the age of 24.
🐼Sandhu has occasionally led the tea༺m in the past, especially when Chhetri was absent because of either injury or personal reasons.
Two-time Asian champions Qatar were held goalless by Afghanistan in Hofuf, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, in a match they domina🐈ted but failed to break down the resolute Afghan defence.
"We have watched the Afghanistan versus Qatar game and will work on the attacking transition in the next two days, with a hope to start scoring goals fr🧜om the chances we create," said Stimꦚac.
India are having their first practice in Doha on Sunday evening before th🉐e of൩ficial training session on Monday at the match venue.
For the Blue Tigers, a win is a muꦆst. I🅰f they lose against Qatar, they will be eliminated from the qualifiers.
They will then battle 💧in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers third rou༺nd for a place at the 2027 tournament in Saudi Arabia.
But if India beat Qatar, they will be in𒀰 pole position to qualify for the World Cup qualifiers third round and a direct spot at the Asian Cup thanks to their superior goal difference over Af♛ghanistan.
If India draw against Qatar, they will qualify fo🏅r the third round only if the match between Kuwait and Afghanistan, which will kick off in Kuwait City two hours after India's match, also ends in a draw.
In that scena🎉rio, India will finish second i♎n the group with six points, the same as Afghanistan, but with a better goal difference.
