Sunil Chhetri Snubbed! Newly Appointed India Head Coach Khalid Jamil Leaves Ex-Skipper Out Of 35-Member Preliminary Squad For CAFA Nations Cup 2025

Indian Men's Football Team head coach Khalid Jamil named the 35-member probable squad for the Blue Tigers’ preparatory camp ahead of their CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

The Blue Tigers will kick off their preparatory camp in Bengaluru on August 16. Only 22 players will be participating in the training as of now. The rest 13 players will join the camp after the end of the ongoing Durand Cup 2025, as they are participating in the prestigious tournament with their respective clubs.

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Khalid Jamil Snubs Sunil Chhetri As India Name 35 Probables For CAFA Nations Cup 2025

The upcoming CAFA Nations Cup 2025 will be Khalid Jamil's first assignment after becoming India's new head coach. Khalid shocked the Indian football fans just ahead of his first assignment as he named the probable squad. The newly appointed head coach snubbed the legendary Sunil Chhetri from the squad for their upcoming tournament.

Instead of Chhetri, Jamil put trust in Irfan Edwad, Vikram Partap Singh, Rahim Ali, and Manvir Singh as his options for strikers.

Khalid Jamil made another inclusion in the squad, which caught the attention of the Indian football fans. Jamil named Sunil Benchamin, who previously played for TRAU FC and Diamond Harbour FC. Benchamin earned his place in the national team after a stunning performance for Indian Army FT in the Durand Cup 2025.

In the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, India have placed in Group B alongside Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The Blue Tigers will begin their voyage in the tournament on August 29. Khalid Jamil's side will take on Iran in their second fixture of the tournament. India will play their final group stage fixture on September 4.

The final of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 will be played on September 8 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

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India's 35-Member Probable Squad

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Hrithik Tiwari. Defenders: Akash Mishra, Alex Saji, Boris Singh Thangjam, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan, Sunil Benchamin. Midfielders: Ashique Kuruniyan, Danish Farooq Bhat, Nikhil Prabhu, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh Kumam. Forwards: Irfan Yadwad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahim Ali, Vikram Partap Singh.