The fixtures are final and six teams have confirmed. Yet it is still unclear what kind of team India will bring to the SAFF Championship in Dhaka in November, and there are rumours that the defending champions may not take part.
The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) says India has sent no word of withdrawing from the tournament. But uncertainty remains over India’s preparation and squad.
India’s biggest obstacle is a clash in the international calendar. During the FIFA international window from 9 to 17 November, the national team is due to tour New Zealand and play two friendlies against the hosts on 12 and 15 November.
The SAFF Championship in Dhaka runs from 5 to 17 November, and India is due to open against Pakistan on 5 November, before the FIFA window begins. Outside the window, clubs are not obliged to release players for national duty. With the domestic season under way, Indian Super League (ISL) clubs are also unwilling to release key players. That makes it hard for India to field its regular senior players at SAFF.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has considered sending an under-23 team instead, but clubs have stood in the way of that plan too. India recently struggled with a weakened side after Mohun Bagan withdrew its players from the Unity Cup camp in the United Kingdom. India does have experience of doing well at SAFF with an age-group side: in 2009 it won the title in Dhaka with an under-23 team.
Talk about India’s participation began after rumours spread that it had pulled out. In a statement, SAFF called the reports “completely baseless” and said no word of withdrawal had come from the AIFF. Preparations are going ahead to stage the competition on schedule with the six announced teams. But SAFF’s statement does not answer the question of what team India will send.
With less than three weeks to go, the AIFF has still not named a squad. Between readying the senior team for New Zealand and the reluctance of domestic clubs, the question now is whether India will send its best team or its under-23 side to Dhaka.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report