Khalid Jamil says Chhetri likely to be called up before Asian Cup qualifier in October
Chief coach of present senior national team Khalid Jamil revealed during the media conference held in Bengaluru on Monday that Sunil Chhetri who returned to senior national team breaking his international retirement, but not included in the present senior national team, is likely to be called up again before India’s all-important Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in October. Jamil, on the day before senior national team’s departure for Hisor, Tajikistan to participate in the CAFA Nations Cup, said, “I had talks with Sunil. He assured he would be available for the senior national team’s next Asian Cup qualifying match against Singapore in October, this year.” On the challenges in CAFA Nations Cup, he said, “Yes, we have information on Tajikistan, IR Iran, and Afghanistan. They are strong sides and have done well recently. But we must focus on our own game and be mentally prepared. The key is belief and playing as a unit. There is improvement, but it will take time. Focus should also be given to juniors alongside seniors, to build a strong future.” India will face hosts Tajikistan (August 29), IR Iran (September 1), and Afghanistan (September 4) in Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, in Hisor, Tajikistan. The group winners will play the final in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, while the two second-placed teams in each group will face off in the third-place match. Jamil stressed the importance of unity and professionalism in the team. He said, “The players are professionals. Once they enter the ground, they are focussed. For me, there is no excuse. Everyone is working hard. We will play as a team, adapt with whoever is available, and give opportunities for new players to prove themselves and become stars.”
Senior national team announced; Gurpreet back after eight months
Khalid Jamil announced his first squad for the CAFA Nations Cup, opting to leave out veteran Sunil Chhetri in order to test new forwards. Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu makes his return to the Indian team after an eight-month absence. Sandhu last played for India in the 1-1 friendly against Malaysia in November. Marquez had preferred Vishal Kaith for recent fixtures earlier this year, including back-to-back defeats to Thailand and Hong Kong in June. Gurpreet expressed his renewed motivation via social media: ‘A familiar frame, but it feels a bit different now. The desire, the hunger to go out there every day wearing our nation’s badge has become even more intense.’ Mohun Bagan Super Giants have not released players like Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Deepak Tangri, Manvir Singh, and Liston Colaco for the tournament, citing their obligation to adhere only to the official FIFA international match calendar when releasing players. However, the final squad for the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 has an interesting mix of young and experienced players. The 23-year-old FC Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari has secured his place in the national team squad. The talented custodian had an impressive last season in the Indian Super League. Amrinder Singh is another option in the squad for the goalkeeping role. India’s defense has some predictable names, including the experienced Sandesh Jhingan, who will have the responsibility to marshal the defense against formidable opponents. His centre-back partner, Anwar Ali, is also in the squad. The East Bengal centre back recently joined the camp after the Durand Cup campaign. The versatile Rahul Bheke is another familiar name in the squad who is expected to play either as centre-back or right-back. The full-back roles will see relatively new faces. Punjab FC left-back Muhammed Uvais will don the Indian colours for the first time. Valpuia and Naorem Roshan Singh have also kept their place in the squad. Midfield is one area where India might struggle, as some senior players are not available for the tournament. Players like Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Danish Farooq, Jeakson Singh, and Borish Singh will be seen operating in the centre of the park. There are no surprising calls from Khalid Jamil when it comes to wide forwards. The task of creating chances on the wings will be undertaken by the likes of Ashique Kuruniyan, Udanta Singh, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Jithin MS, and Lallianzuala Chhangte. With Sunil Chhetri absent from the squad, the Number 9 role presents the biggest gap to fill. Khalid Jamil will turn to young faces, including Jamshedpur FC striker Manvir Singh, who will make his debut, to lead t lead the line in the 8-nation tournament. Irfan Yadwad, who made his first international appearance against Malaysia last year, and Vikram Partap Singh are also set to compete for the striker’s role. India faces Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan on 29th August, 1st and 4th September. Jamil had announced 35 players for the training camp that started on August 15at the Dravid-Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.
Messi to play in Kerala ultimately in November!
The uncertainty seems to be over. The Lionel Messi-led Argentine national team is coming to Kerala to take part in a friendly match in November this year! The friendly match is likely to take place during FIFA’s November-window, between 10th and 18th November. This visit will mark the first time an Argentine side will be playing in Kerala. The official confirmation came through the team’s social media handles earlier today. The opponents for the fixtures are yet to be announced. “The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendly matches in the remainder of 2025. The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (opponents and cities to be determined). The second, a FIFA friendly in November, from the 10th to the 18th, will be played in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India (opponents to be determined),” the statement read. Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman first revealed that the Argentine national team, led by Messi would be taking part in a friendly match this year. But the much-awaited trip got a big blow following disagreements between the Kerala government, event sponsors, and the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Doubts were created over whether the friendly would actually go ahead. At one point, Kerala’s Sports Minister announced that the Argentine national team’s Kerala-tour would be cancelled. Then, Reporting Broadcasting, the commercial partner of the Kerala state sports ministry, warned of legal action against the AFA. However, the situation now seems to have been resolved, and Argentina are set to play in India later this year. This will be the reigning world champions’ second visit to the country. Their first appearance came in 2011, when Lionel Messi led the side in a friendly against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
India’s under-23 national football team will travel to Malaysia without key MBSG players!
Naushad Moosa’s dreams of making history by reaching the finals have suffered a big blow, as the Indian squad, traveling to Malaysia to take part in the under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, are likely to miss talented footballers from Mohun Bagan Super Giants! The talented youngsters of Bagan, such as Suhail Bhat, Dippendu Biswas, and Tekcham Abhishek Singh are likely to miss out. The selected footballers from NorthEast United FC are expected to join the national squad after their Durand Cup Final, which takes place on 23rd August against Diamond Harbor FC. However, AIFF are still trying to convince the ISL winner to release the players before the official FIFA window, scheduled to start on 1st September. With Mohun Bagan kicking off their ACL 2 matches on 16th September the club raised concerns over the fitness issues of players. Head Coach Naushad Moosa had to start the preparatory camp in Bangalore without the presence of 16 key footballers, who are from Punjab FC, Jamshedpur, Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United, and FC Goa. Only 10 footballers who participated in the friendly matches against Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan had reported to the camp. Moosa was forced to call upon 15 trialists to get the number to 25 for a full squad to start training. Among the absentees were FC Goa’s Ayush Chhetri, Sanatomba Singh, and Alan Saji, who joined the squad right after Goa’s AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round tie against Al Seeb on 13th August. The 16 of the initial players who were unavailable for the camp were mostly players who would have walked straight into the playing XI or the match-day squad. Despite bringing in new footballers for the selection trials the absence of such players for the preparatory camp left Moosa worried. On the positive note, players from Punjab FC and even Jamshedpur FC have joined the squad.
Bhaichung reveals the point behind Khalid Jamil’s selection as chief national coach
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia said the All India Football Federation (AIFF) chose him because he is unlikely to make too many demands. Bhaichung, speaking to PTI after the Fidel Castro Centenary Football Cup’s exhibition match, also said he feels sorry for Jamil for taking charge of the senior national team at a difficult time. “We have got two world-class coaches (Igor Stimac and Manolo Marquez) leaving. If these two coaches could not work with the AIFF, then you bring people who will listen and will do what the federation says,” Bhutia said. When asked about coach Jamil’s ability, Bhaichung explained, “I think Jamil being a domestic coach fits into that, as he is fairly new to the team. I feel sorry for him as well, as he is taking charge of the team when it’s in a very difficult situation,” he added. Aiming AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey Bhutia said, “For Kalyan, he (Jamil) is the right guy because Indian coaches do not demand much. “At the same time, he is saying that there are financial problems, and today the AIFF has gone into such a bad situation that we don’t have money to pay the coaches as well.” Chaubey had recently admitted that club football is “going through a crisis” due to the uncertainty surrounding the Indian Super League, while attributing the situation to “some self-claimed reformers with vested interests”. Bhutia also raised concerns over the federation’s handling of administrative matters. “When the Supreme Court appointed the ad-hoc committee to run the federation for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the federation should have asked the SC whether we can run it, or we should have a new body. “That delay of three years clashed with the MRA rights getting over. That timing could have been tackled much more before coming to this stage. They should have gone to the SC and asked. I have been saying this to find out whether this body can continue, which they did not do purposely,” Bhutia added.
Amidst the shower of appreciations, Mohammed Siraj reveals his ‘simple plans’ on the pitch!
Michael Atherton compared Siraj to Yorkshire and England legend, the warhorse, big-grinned Darren Gough, a fiery fast bowler from his playing days. He said that Siraj can lift the whole team with his enthusiasm, which makes 35 runs not a mere formality. “Absolutely, and the type of cricketer I think that just makes other people rise as well. We had one way back in my time, Darren Gough, would make people play better just because of the way they carried on in the middle and the dressing room, actually,” Atherton told Sky. “When the going gets tough, there are some characters that just grow a bit taller. He is one, and everybody else will look at him,” Atherton said. Elaborating, he added, “He’s a bit of a leader in the field. He’s not the captain obviously, not wearing the armband. But he’s the guy they look to when it gets tough. So he makes others play better in those moments.” Siraj, who crossed the milestone of 200 wickets, also surpassed Bhubneshwar Kumar and is now behind only Jasprit Bumrah for most wickets (24) against England in England. His spell on the fourth day was a scorching one, bowling eight overs, giving away 33 runs, and getting a crucial wicket of Ollie Pope to end the first session with figures of 2 for 44 in 12 overs, though he set up the board for Prasidh to snare wickets. The hard-working bowler is the leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets at an average of 34.30 in nine innings, with best figures of 6/70. He went past Bhuvneshwar’s 19-wickets in 2014 at an average of 26.63 and best figures of 6/82. But Siraj waved away all concerns of breaking down, even as other pacers from both sides ended up knackered if not broken, and explained, “I love to play for the country. I don’t think of breaking down or anything. I try to make simple plans whenever I am in the field. I give it everything. And rest will follow,” Siraj told Sky Cricket after the fourth day. “Since childhood, why did you play…motivation is to play for India. I don’t fixate on the result. Just give 100 percent in the body. When you relax after a tough day, you ask yourself if the answer is yes, you have 100 percent, then I sleep well, concluded Siraj.
The PCB bans using Pakistan’s name in private leagues
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put a ban on using the name of the country in teams representing it in private cricket leagues following the fiasco in the World Championships of Legends (WCL) in which Indian players refused to play against the ‘Pakistan Champions’. According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport, the PCB has decided to pull the plug on the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues after the ongoing WCL in the UK was made out to be a clash between India and Pakistan. “The decision was taken after a detailed discussion in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday,” sources told according to a report from Telecom Asia on Friday. “The high-level authorities felt Indian players refusing to play Pakistan in the WCL’s second edition twice is hurtful to the name of the country.” Moving forward, no private organisation will be permitted to use Pakistan’s name for private leagues. However, the current Pakistan Legends team will be allowed to play in Saturday’s final against South Africa. In the future, no permission will be given to any private organization to use the name of the country for private leagues. However, the current Pakistan Legends team will be allowed to play Saturday’s final against South Africa. The reports said that various private organisations have used the name of Pakistan to feature in minor and low-profile leagues in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the USA. Sources close to the PCB stated, “All private organisations will face legal action in case they use Pakistan’s name. PCB has the sole right to allow its use for cricket events if it finds the authenticity of the League and the organisation as reputable.” It has also been reported that the Pakistan government and the IPC (Inter-provincial coordination committee), responsible for overseeing sports in the country, have issued an advisory to the PCB to regulate the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues in the future. “All private organizations will face legal action in case they use Pakistan’s name. PCB has the sole right to allow its use for cricket events if it finds the authenticity of the League and the organization as reputable,” the report quoted sources close to the PCB as saying.
Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury raises questions again for mid-Test injury replacements
The never-ending tale of injuries continues to plague both England and India at the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, as the latest entrant to the long list of injured players sees English fast-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes being escorted off the field during the first day of the fifth and final Test at the Oval in London on Thursday. Woakes, who has been integral in England’s bowling attack, landed awkwardly on his shoulder while chasing after the ball at the boundary line in the 57th over. The 36-year-old had to be taken off the field with his left shoulder wrapped in his sweater. Woakes’ teammate Gus Atkinson provided an update, which England would be dreading as he said: “It doesn’t look great. I will be surprised if he participates in the game. It’s a big shame when anyone gets injured. I’m hoping it’s not too bad, but whatever it is, he’ll get the full support from everyone,” said Atkinson after the day’s play.” Woakes’ injury has reignited the conversation around the injury replacements, as this has been a major talking point during this season after Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant also had to miss out due to a toe injury he picked up during the fourth Test. Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik is in favour of an injury replacement and said,” For the second time in this series, on day one of a Test match, an injury has happened where you get the feeling that the player couldn’t participate in the Test match anymore,” Karthik said to Sky Sports.
Jasprit Bumrah concedes 100 runs in a Test innings for the first time after 48 Tests; India struggle to survive
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah recorded the most expensive spell of his Test career during the second innings of the fourth Test match against England in Manchester. Bumrah’s tally for the innings ticked past 100 runs, making it the first instance in 48 Tests where he’s conceded more than 100. The pacer’s previous worst figures were four for 99 against Australia in Melbourne in December 2024. Bumrah made his Test debut in 2018 in South Africa and has picked 219 wickets so far with the red ball. However, Bumrah’s stumbling on the staircase of Old Trafford triggered another major injury scare after Rishav Pant, who already has been ruled out of the pitch for the next six weeks following a severe toe fracture. On the third day of the ongoing Manchester Test, a video went viral rapidly, showing Bumrah stumbling while walking up the stairs during the second session, visibly grimacing as he limped back onto the field at Old Trafford. “It’s a good sign that Bumrah is back on the field, but it’s a bad sign that he went off the field. However, it looks like he is grimacing a little bit. Doesn’t look comfortable; he is reaching down at his left ankle,” former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said while commentating. The tension grew when Mohammed Siraj also appeared to be in discomfort, struggling to complete his 22nd over before limping off for treatment. Siraj, however, returned to the field later in the session, easing some of India’s immediate worries. Meanwhile, on Saturday, England scored 669 runs against India during the fourth Test in Manchester, the highest team total at Old Trafford. India, in reply, are struggling to survive with the loss of two wickets, having scored only three runs in the fourth innings. The visitors need 306 to win the Test. Across its Test history, this was the ninth-highest total conceded by India. Sri Lanka holds the record for the highest team total against India. The side scored 952 for six against India in Colombo in 1997. For England, this was its second-best effort against India, with the best of 710 for seven coming in Birmingham in 2011. The last team to score 600 runs or more against India was New Zealand, which managed 680 runs in Wellington in 2014.
Jamil, Constantine, and Tarkovic in AIFF shortlist to be next India coach
The All India Football Federation has been recommended to pick one among Khalid Jamil, Stephen Constantine, and Stefan Tarkovic for the vacant men’s senior national team head coach job. At a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the IM Vijayan-chaired committee segregated the list of Indian and foreign applicants before identifying those who would be considered for the job. Once the federation had accepted Marquez’s resignation at its executive committee meeting on July 2, and invited applications on 4th July, 170 coaches had sent in their resumes at the Football House. Two months ago, Khalid had declined to take charge of the U-23 men’s national team as he has an existing two-year contract with Jamshedpur FC. But he was persuaded to apply after his and Constantine’s names were recommended to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey by his advisors, renowned coaches Bimal Ghosh and Armando Colaco. The technical committee had earlier voiced their preference for a home-grown man to be in the hot seat this time, which would ease the burden on AIFF’s coffers stretched by a $400,000 payout to Marquez’s predecessor Igor Stimac. Thus Bengaluru FC assistant coach Renedy Singh’s name was also discussed as he is into active coaching, unlike Sanjoy Sen, who has been without a job after guiding Bengal to their record 33rd Santosh Trophy title last year.
