East Bengal's Lalchungnunga and Mohun Bagan's Subhasish Bose were surprisingly dropped from Igor Stimac's 23-man squad for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Qatar. 

Both defenders were included in previous group stage matches. Their absence leaves a significant hole in the backline, particularly for their respective club fans who hold them in high regard. With the stakes high against Qatar, Stimac has opted for a different defensive strategy.  

 23-member squad for FIFA World Cup qualifier against Qatar-

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith.

Defenders: Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Narender, Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke.

Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Edmund Lalrindika, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nandhakumar Sekar, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam.

Forwards: Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Vikram Partap Singh, David Lalhlansanga

Article and picture credit : Google services