India football team head coach Igor Stimac named the 28-member squad that will leave for Doha on Wednesday evening for its three forthcoming matches in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers, which will begin from June 3.
The Indian team will have a preparatory camp inside a bio-bubble in Doha before their first match.
Captain Sunil Chhetri, who missed the two international friendly matches against Oman and the UAE in March, made a return to the side after recovering from COVID-19 infection.
“It’s such a relief to be back in the National team squad – after all, home is where the heart is. Personally, I am eagerly looking forward to being in Doha. The last time I was in Doha, I couldn’t be a part of the match against Qatar owing to illness,” Chhetri, who has 72 international goals to his name, said.
India are scheduled to play Asian Champions Qatar on June 3, Bangladesh on June 7, and Afghanistan on June 15 with all three matches to be played at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha.
“As per the health parameters required to travel to Qatar, all the travelling players and staff carry with them negative test results from the RTPCR tests conducted in the last 48 hours. All of them were also in isolation in the Capital under the bio bubble at the team hotel from May 15 onwards,” the AIFF said in a statement.
