India coach Khalid Jamil urges players to "rectify our mistakes and fight back" ahead of Christchurch friendly

India head coach Khalid Jamil urged his players to "rectify our mistakes and fight back" ahead of the second of two international friendlies against New Zealand at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 08:40 IST, as the side seeks to recover from a defeat in Auckland.

The match will be streamed live on FIFA+ on dazn.com and is the first-ever international fixture at the newly opened One New Zealand Stadium, a 25,000-seat, fully roofed venue that opened in March this year. The stadium sits on land named Te Kaha and the wider precinct is known as Te Kaharoa, meaning ‘Enduring Strength’ in Māori. This is the second of two scheduled friendlies between the nations.

In the opening meeting in Auckland, 88th-ranked New Zealand scored five times. The goals came via a Bijoy Varghese own goal, a Jesse Randall brace, Chris Wood and Lachlan Bayliss.

Jamil acknowledged the result and praised his players' attitude while calling for accountability. "If you see the result, it was not up to the mark, but the players are giving their best. The attitude of the players has been very good. We were playing against a stronger team, no doubt, but there is no excuse. We need to rectify our mistakes and fight back. In tomorrow’s game, every player must take responsibility and give everything," Jamil said. He also accepted responsibility: "The result, yes, it is my mistake. There were individual errors as well that led to the goals we conceded. But one good thing is the attitude of the players. They are ready to bounce back," he said.

Jamil pointed to travel and preparation constraints as additional challenges the squad faced ahead of the first friendly. "We also need to note the external factors beyond our control. We are playing an away game, and there is a seven-and-a-half-hour time difference. We had only one day of practice before travelling and then had to play within two days. It takes time to adjust. Sometimes the mind is ready, but the body is not. But now everybody is settled, I believe," he said.

Captain Anirudh Thapa, who led India in Auckland for only the second time in his international career, described the dressing-room reaction and emphasised discipline and communication. "It was a very disappointing result for us. The boys were devastated after the game. We came here wanting to put in a good performance, but New Zealand were strong and punished our mistakes. We have to take responsibility as a team. We know we can do better, and we have to show that tomorrow," Thapa said. He added: "At this level, you cannot afford to make too many mistakes. We have to be more disciplined, stay compact, and communicate better with each other." "For me, it is about keeping everyone together. When things are not going well, we have to support each other and keep pushing. If I am given the captaincy, I have to lead by example, but every player has a responsibility towards the team and the country," said the 28-year-old who captained India for only the second time in his international career.

The squad completed a gym session on the morning of their travel and moved to Christchurch on Friday evening; players who had not played the full 90 minutes in Auckland took part in that session. India held their official training at One New Zealand Stadium at 16:00 local time on Saturday as final preparations. Jamil asked for patience from supporters and noted the coaching staff's selection approach: "For the fans and everyone, they have to be patient. The players are thinking positively, and we are trying to build ahead. When we are down, we want the fans to support us. We are in a good process, and we need to play these kinds of matches. We are also giving opportunities to new faces."

There were four debutants in Auckland — Muhammad Suhail, David Lalhlansanga, Tomba Singh Haobam and Ricky Meetei Haobam — and Jamil reiterated his demand for full commitment ahead of the rematch. "We have to bounce back tomorrow. I will not leave anything in this game. We have to give everything. I have already given the message to the players. We have to go out and give everything. They are highly motivated," he said. Thapa added: "We have another opportunity here in Christchurch, and we have to make the most of it. We cannot change the past result, but we can learn from it. We want to put in a much better performance."

India will face New Zealand at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 08:40 IST, with the fixture available to watch live on FIFA+ via dazn.com.