FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers | Igor Stimac releases six players from national camp

Like all the previous times, Stimac has yet again managed to surprise many with his exclusions from the preparatory national camp, which included names of centre halves Salam Ranjan Singh and Anwar Ali (Jr.), full back Jerry Lalrinzuala, strikers Farukh Choudhary and Jobby Justin, and midfielder Pronay Halder.

Stimac had announced a 34-man probables list earlier in August for the national camp in Goa. The squad has been reduced to 28 and would be further trimmed before Indian announce their squad for their match against Oman on September 5, 2019.

India are clubbed in Group E for the Qualifiers with World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar, Oman, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. After their first match against Iman, India would be playing against Qatar on September 10, Bangladesh on October 15, and Afghanistan on November 14. The reverse legs would be beginning from November 19, during the ISL international break. 

Amongst all the exclusions, ATK midfielder Halder's name has stunned many especially with the player being a continuous presence in Stimac’s previous first teams. And with the Croatian coach even claiming that he had finally found his playing eleven during the Intercontinental Cup, fans weren’t expecting any major surprises this time.

India’s current 28-member squad list:

GOALKEEPERS: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Vishal Kaith

DEFENDERS: Rahul Bheke, Nishu Kumar, Pritam Kotal, Anas Edathodika, Sandesh Jhingan, Narender Gahlot, Sarthak Golui, Adil Khan, Subhasish Bose, Mandar Rao Dessai

MIDFIELDERS: Nikhil Poojari, Udanta Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Raynier Fernandes, Vinit Rai, Sahal Abdul Samad, Amarjit Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Halicharan Narzary, Ashique Kuruniyan

FORWARDS: Balwant Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh