Igor Stimac announces 41-member probables for upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

07 May 2024 | Written by Shyam Sundar

The full list of 41 probables for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Kuwait and Qatar has been released by Igor Stimac. After performing poorly over the course of two legs against Afghanistan, the Blue Tigers will play Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 and then travel to Qatar on June 11 to take on the Asian champions. With four points from four games, India is now one point ahead of Kuwait and Afghanistan in group A.

The primary objective for the Blue Tigers is to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers' third round, therefore they'll be looking to do well in their remaining games. Igor Stimac will be looking to take advantage of the enormous home crowd support at Salt Lake Stadium in order to motivate the team to defeat Kuwait comfortably. The Blue Tigers will begin training in Odisha on May 10, so Igor Stimac will have a month camp to get his players ready.

Igor Stimac has called up four players from I-League for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Kuwait and Afghanistan.

• Edmund Lalrindinka
• Lalrinzuala Lalbianknia
• David Lalhlansanga
• Muhammad Hammad pic.twitter.com/em9eXwo1dH

— Footy India (@FootyIndia_) May 7, 2024

Igor Stimac surprised everyone by calling up players from the I-League for the first time in the past few years. The names include Lalrinzuala Lalbianknia, the top scorer in the I-League, who has scored 15 goals for Aizawl FC this season; David Lalhlansanga, Mohammedan SC's striker; Edmund Lalrindinka of Inter Kashi; and Muhammad Hammad, Real Kashmir's center-back.

Despite certain reports suggesting Akash Mishra being injured and sidelined via an ACL injury, he has been announced in the probables list. Northeast United duo Jithin MS and Parthib Gogoi have been handed their debut national team-callups alongside Kerala Blasters' midfielder Vibin Mohanan. Isak, who was a part of the probables list last time and missed out on the final squad, the Odisha FC winger has been called-up for the camp once again.

The Full 41-member probables list:

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Phurba Tempa Lachenpa, Vishal Kaith.

Defenders: Amey Ganesh Ranawade, Jay Gupta, Lalchungnunga, Muhammad Hammad, Narender, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose.

Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Edmund Lalrindika, Imran Khan, Isak Vanlalruatfela, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Mohammad Yasir, Nandhakumar Sekar, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Vibin Mohanan, Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Sahal Abdul Samad.

Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Jithin Madathil Subran, Lalrinzuala, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Rahim Ali, Manvir Singh, Vikram Partap Singh, Sunil Chhetri.