AIFF Raring to Send Indian Team led by Sunil Chhetri to Asia Games 2023 Pending Ministry Clearance

The AIFF is intent on sending its first team to Asian Games led by star striker and skipper Sunil Chhetri if the sports ministry grants permission for the participation of the Blue Tigers in the continental showpiece.

The Blue Tigers are currently ranked 18th in Asia but the sports ministry’s rule states that in team sports, only those in the top eight will get the green light.

The Blue Tigers were not granted permission to participate in the Jakarta Games in the 2018 edition of the event.

”The current national team has seven U-23 first team players and since three over-age players are allowed, skipper Chhetri, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and defender Sandesh Jhingan are all set to go for the Asian Games if the team gets permission,” a source privy to the development said.

The AIFF has prepared a list of 50 under-23 players and forwarded it to the respective clubs. The idea, the sources said, is to raise another pool of under-23 players, who could be used for the AFC under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers and the King’s Cup in Thailand.

The national team under Croatian coach Igor Stimac has entered the sub-100 club in FIFA ranking once again having won the SAFF championship where it played against Lebanon and Kuwait.

The Indian team coached by Stimac had some brilliant results at the SAFF Championships, which was held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru recently.

Chhetri led from the front as he topped the scoring charts in the tournament with five goals to his name in the campaign, which included a hattrick against Pakistan in the opener.

He also netted in the games against Nepal and Kuwait in the group stages to help India advance to the knockout phase of the tournament before ultimately going on to win the win against Kuwait on penalties.

Stimac had written to the PM of the nation to consider sending the Indian team to the Asian games.

The continental competition is slated to begin on the 23rd of September in Hangzhou, China.