Mumbai, Feb 28 (IANS): Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine has included four new players in the national camp ahead of their crucial Group A match against Myanmar in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Constantine announced a list of 31 probables on Tuesday which includes four new faces -- Nishu Kumar, Subhashish Bose, Jerry Lalrinzuala and Milan Singh -- all of whom will make their first appearance in the national camp.
"We have recruited players on basis of their consistent performances both from the I-League and the Indian Super League. I reiterate that the door is open for anyone who is eligible to play for India. But for that he must be prepared to do the work we need," Constantine stated.
"We have selected the players from what we have seen over the last few months."
The Indian squad will camp here as they prepare to play Myanmar in their first group match in Yangon on March 28.
Constantine said that he chose Mumbai over other venues because the weather conditions will be closest to Yangon.
"Mumbai will be hot and humid much like what we will experience in Yangon when we play Myanmar in our first match," he said.
"The last time we camped and played in Mumbai, the Western India Football Association (WIFA) headed by AIFF President Praful Patel and Aditya Thackeray were so supportive and helpful, arranging and providing all what the national team needed and asked for. I appreciate their passion and feeling for the national team."
The players will start to assemble here from March 12 onwards as per their club commitments in the I-League and AFC Cup.
India are slated to play Cambodia in an international friendly in Phnom Penh on March 22 as part of their preparation for the tie against Myanmar.
The probables:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, T.P. Rehneesh.
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Nishu Kumar, Sandesh Jhingan, Arnab Mondal, Anas Edathodika, Dhanapal Ganesh, Fulganco Cardozo, Narayan Das, Subhashish Bose, Jerry Lanrinzuala.
Midfielders: Jackichand Singh, Setiyesen Singh, Udanta Singh, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Milan Singh, Pronay Halder, Md. Rafique, Rowllin Borges, Halicharan Narzary, C.K. Vineeth, Anthony D'Souza, Issac Vanlalsawma.
Forwards: Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sumeet Passi, Sunil Chhetri, Daniel Lalhimpuia, Robin Singh.