Blue Tigers Ready: Khalid Jamil Names 23-Player Squad for New Zealand Clash
Head coach Khalid Jamil names a 23-player squad for the Blue Tigers' upcoming friendly matches against New Zealand in November.
The Indian men's national team is gearing up for a challenging trip to the Southern Hemisphere. Head coach Khalid Jamil has officially announced the 23-player India squad for New Zealand friendlies, scheduled to take place during the November FIFA International Match Window.
The Road to Auckland and Christchurch
The Blue Tigers are set to face the "All Whites" in two high-stakes friendly encounters. The first match will kick off on November 12 at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland at 11:30 IST. Following that, the team will move to the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch for the second clash on November 15 at 08:30 IST.
Coach Khalid Jamil emphasized the importance of these fixtures, noting that New Zealand is a World Cup-playing nation and a formidable opponent. He stated that playing away from home would serve as a vital test for the squad, with the primary goals being discipline and overall team improvement.
Squad Dynamics and Roster Changes
The selection process has seen some interesting movements between the national team setups. Three players—Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail, and Liston Colaco—who were initially part of Naushad Moosa's squad for the SAFF Championship 2026, will not continue in Dhaka. Instead, they will join Khalid Jamil's squad for the New Zealand tour.
Conversely, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Noufal PN, and Farukh Choudhary have been released from the SAFF Championship squad to return to their club, Mumbai City FC. Additionally, Ronney Kharbudon has been ruled out of the Dhaka trip due to an injury.
The Full 23-Player Squad
The Blue Tigers will assemble in Bengaluru on Saturday, November 7, for a training session before flying out to Auckland on Sunday night. Here is the complete roster:
Goalkeepers
- Hrithik Tiwari
- Som Kumar
- Vishal Kaith
Defenders
- Abhishek Singh Tekcham
- Akash Mishra
- Bijoy Varghese
- Jay Gupta
- Mehtab Singh
- Pramveer
- Ricky Meetei Haobam
- Roshan Singh Naorem
Midfielders
- Anirudh Thapa
- Ashique Kuruniyan
- Jithin MS
- Lalremtluanga Fanai
- Lalrinliana Hnamte
- Tomba Singh Haobam
Forwards
- David Lalhlansanga
- Edmund Lalrindika
- Liston Colaco
- Manvir Singh
- Muhammad Suhail
- Ryan Williams
Match Schedule (IST)
- November 12, 11:30 IST: New Zealand vs India (Go Media Stadium, Auckland)
- November 15, 08:30 IST: New Zealand vs India (One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch)