Assessment of India’s squad for 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong – Khalid Jamil begins rebuilding

It all boils down to this: the last match of continental significance for India in a forgettable four-year cycle, a dead rubber against Hong Kong (China) in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

India, the top seed, is at the bottom of the standings and out of the Asian Cup race. When it concludes the group stage at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala on March 31, it will look to offer something to football fans in the country.

Head coach Khalid Jamil has made strong decisions in his selection this time: fourteen changes to the team that lost 0-1 to Bangladesh, including a first call-up for defender Bijoy Varghese and a return for goalkeeper Albino Gomes after almost ten years.

The addition of Australian-born Ryan Williams and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Abhneet Bharti marks the beginning of the restart of Jamil’s project.

Jamil took charge of the national team at a precarious moment following the 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong in the second Asian Cup qualifier and was unable to find a quick solution in the Asian Cup qualifiers despite leading the team to a third-place finish in the CAFA Nations Cup.

The lack of competitive football, or rather the uncertainty surrounding it, only worsened the state of affairs.

Jamil knows better than many that progress in Indian football takes longer than usual, especially when the team is languishing at 141st in the FIFA rankings and matches are struggling to fill stadiums. But his selection meets many requirements.

Newer faces and emphasis on wing play

Bharti, a tall (185cm), 27-year-old central defender, who currently plays for Bolivian top team Academia del Balompié Boliviano, will be assessed by Jamil before the coach decides on his inclusion, but Jamil’s intention for new legs is clear.

It is understood the coach also wanted 19-year-old Muhammad Suhail to be part of the squad, a player who had turned heads with his wonder goal against Bahrain in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers. However, as he recovered from a shoulder injury, he was advised a longer rest period.

From a pool that does not include key under-23 and under-20 players, who play friendlies separately, the former Aizawl and Jamshedpur FC manager has opted for a mix of age and experience, while also picking specific players for certain playing styles.

The additions of Nikhil Poojary (who returns to the side after almost two years), Abhishek Singh Tekcham and Roshan Singh Naorem, while leaving out Muhammad Uvais and Jay Gupta, indicate a clear shift in Jamil’s plans from a defensive, conservative approach to a sharper, aggressive approach.

Manvir Singh, Farukh Choudhary, Liston Colaco and Ashique Kuruniyan reinforce the same belief: free-flowing wings.

The midfield trio of Sahal Abdul Samad, Lalengmawia Ralte and Jeakson Singh offers an option for a versatile approach that shifts from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1. However, this can also be a limitation if injuries occur.

The previous team had six midfielders, this is only four.

Debut for Williams?

Jamil is at a historic point in Indian football. Williams, a foreign-born striker, gave up his passport to play for India.

The Bengaluru FC forward became an Indian citizen late last year but was waiting for a nod from FIFA to play for the country, a sign that has finally arrived.

The former Portsmouth and Barnsley striker scored 14 goals and five assists for Bengaluru FC over three seasons, scoring in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Bhutan that ended in a 6-1 win for the Blue Tigers in November 2025.

Wearing the number 11 jersey, previously worn by India’s top scorer Sunil Chhetri, Williams could become the first naturalized player since Arata Izumi to play for India – a trend that could inspire more foreign-born Indians to follow that path.

Jamil’s biggest challenge

Despite many positive points, Jamil is on a bare theater: nothing is at stake in terms of competition.

The Indian team has dipped below the 140 position in FIFA after a decade and the men’s senior football project appears to be dead for the next 15 months until the dates for the next World Cup and Asian Cup cycles are announced.

It is here that Jamil will have to fight the greatest demons. India’s downward spiral from winning three trophies in a year and reaching the top 100 in 2023 to the current quagmire has left little hope among Indian football fans for better days to come.

The match against Hong Kong may be without stakes, but it could be Jamil’s first chance to build a new story brick by brick. And given his antics with Aizawl and Jamshedpur, perhaps he could just look at his watch, blow the whistle and get on with his job, one match at a time.

Published on March 25, 2026