After a span of 13 years, India’s senior football team is going to have an Indian head coach. Khalid Jamil, the most successful Indian coach in the ISL, has been unanimously appointed the chief national coach at an executive committee meeting held in New Delhi on Friday morning.

Savio Medeira was the last chief coach of the senior national team in 2011-12.

Khalid’s mentor, Dronacharya awardee Bimal Ghosh, while reacting to the selection, told Parallel Sports over the phone, “I believe Khalid has the ability to change the dilapidated senior national team. He was under my tutelage at the beginning of his career for four consecutive years. I noticed that time that one of the key weapons was tremendous determination to learn and adapt. After being a coach, he converted the quality into applying it to his footballers. That is why his unyielding endeavor inspires the footballers on the pitch also.”

Jamil’s first test as India coach will be a steep one. The Blue Tigers face defending champion Iran and 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalist Tajikistan later this month in the CAFA Nations Cup.

Ghosh, however, admitted that the first assignment for Khalid is going to be tough. “Still, Khalid’s man-management skills and ability to instill zeal in the players are expected to bring some positive changes,” said Ghosh.

Bhaichung Bhutia, who did not attend Friday’s executive committee meeting, also congratulated Khalid for his new assignment.

Born in Kuwait, the 49-year-old has won India’s top division both as a player (with Mahindra United in 2005) and as a coach (with Aizawl FC in 2017). An AFC Pro License holder, Jamil has coached across I-League, I-League 2, and the Indian Super League (ISL). His I-League title run with underdog Aizawl, its first and only top-flight title, remains one of Indian football’s most storied achievements. Most recently, he took over Jamshedpur FC midway through the 2023–24 season, steering the team to the Super Cup semifinals and later to a runner-up finish and an ISL semifinal spot in the next.