India’s football coach Stephen Constantine announced his preliminary squad of 38 probables for India's forthcoming back to back 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification matches against Oman and Guam respectively.
The list of 38 will be trimmed to 26 post completion of the ongoing edition of the Hero I-League.
The selected 26 players along with the support staff will then report Bangalore for a camp on June 3 followed by a training session on June 4.
India play their first match against Oman at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on June 11 while the next match against Guam will be played in Guam on June 16.
India have been clubbed in Group D along with Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and Guam.
"We are on the platform where we wanted to be. We are now competing against the best teams in Asia and it's the stage for the best teams to compete against each other," Constantine said.
"We have selected a group of Players that have impressed for their respective clubs in the last two-three months. The list would be brought down to 26 for the preparatory camp."
Probables:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul (Salgaocar SC), Arindam Bhattacharya (Kalyani Bharat FC), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Stabaek FC), Sanjiban Ghosh (Mumbai FC).
Defenders: Rino Anto, Lalchhuanmawia (both Bengaluru FC), Reagan Singh, Lalhmangaihsanga (both Royal Wahingdoh FC), Pritam Kotal, Dhanachandra Singh (McDowell Mohun Bagan), Robert Lalthlamuana, Arnab Mondal, Gurwinder Singh (all Kingfisher East Bengal), Sandesh Jhingan (Sporting Clube de Goa), Augustin Fernandes (Salgaocar SC), Aiborlang Khongjee (Shillong Lajong FC).
Midfielders: Cavin Lobo, Mohammed Rafique (Kingfisher East Bengal), Eugenson Lyngdoh, CK Vineeth (both Bengaluru FC), Godwin Franco, Jackichand Singh, Saityasen Singh (all Royal Wahingdoh FC), Sehnaj Singh (McDowell Mohun Bagan), Dhanapal Ganesh (Pune FC), Mandar Rao Dessai, Francis Fernandes, Germanpreet Singh (all Dempo SC), Harmanjot Singh Khabra (Kingfisher East Bengal), Rowlin Borges, Bikash Jairu (both Sporting Clube de Goa).
Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh (Both Bengaluru FC), Holicharan Narzary (Dempo SC), Jeje Lalpekhlua (McDowell Mohun Bagan), Thongkhosien Haokip (Pune FC), Sumit Passi (Sporting Clube de Goa), Lalchhawnkima (Royal Wahingdoh FC).
Image: Subrata Paul
Photograph: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters
