Sandesh Jhingan returns, fresh faces emerge in Constantine's 28 picks for national team camp

A LIST OF 28 PLAYERS picked by coach Stephen Constantine as probables for the national team has been announced. It's out of these chosen ones that the Blue Tigers coach will construct the squad that takes on Iran and Turkmenistan in the remaining two World Cup 2018 Qualifiers in late March.

The team will assemble at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 16th March. The players from Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC will be free to join a day or two later when their respective clubs are done playing their AFC Cup fixtures.

India will take on Iran away from home on 24th March, and play Turkmenistan on home turf 5 days later. 

Placed at the bottom of the points table with 3 points from 6 matches, India have no chance to qualify for the next round in the World Cup qualifiers. The efforts of Constantine are now concentrated on creating a competent squad that can aim to achieve a qualification for the Asian Cup 2019.

As with most other Constantine camp squads, the list packs a couple of surprises as two promising youngsters have been brought into contention to wear the national colours by the British coach.

18 year old Malsawmzuala, who came into prominence this season when Bengaluru FC used him quite regularly in the I-League, has made the list for the first time. Also in the list is the name of 20 year old Sumeet Passi, a striker who has made a total of 8 I-League appearances so far for Arrows and his current club Sporting Clube de Goa. 

But interestingly, "wonder kid" Lalianzuala Chhangte, who made 3 appearences for India in the SAFF Championship and scored a sensational brace against Nepal, has been left out of the squad this time.

The biggest news, however, is that star defender Sandesh Jhingan has returned to the side after missing out the entire SAFF Championship due to an injury he sustained during ISL. His return is likely to boost the Blue Tigers' defense; and they are going to need it when they play Iran away from home.

Here's the full list of probables:

GOALKEEPERS: Subrata Paul, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Karanjit Singh, TP Reheneesh.
 
DEFENDERS: Aiborlang Khongjee, Augistine Fernandes, Arnab Mondal, Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Rino Anto, Narayan Das, Lalchhuanmawia,
 
MIDFIELDERS: Pronay Halder, Bikash Jairu, Cavin Lobo, Rowlin Borges, Alwyn George, Md. Rafique, Malsawmzuala (from BFC), Francis Fernandes, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Udanta Singh, Vineet Rai, Seityasen Singh.
 
FORWARDS: Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sunil Chhetri, Sumeet Passi, Halicharan Narzary.