India cut down SAFF Championship 2026 squad after Pakistan win ahead of Maldives game

India reshuffled its SAFF Championship 2026 squad ahead of the match against the Maldives in Dhaka after beating Pakistan 3-2 in their tournament opener on November 5, leaving head coach Naushad Moosa with a reduced group.

Moosa’s squad has been altered by three players being called into a 23-man national team for friendlies against New Zealand — defender Bijoy Varghese and forwards Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco — two players ruled out by injury and three players released back to Mumbai City FC. Midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam has been ruled out after an ISL game between FC Goa and Bengaluru FC, and FC Goa’s Ronney Kharbudon will also miss the trip to Dhaka through injury. Hmingthanmawia Ralte (Valpuia), Farukh Choudhary and Noufal PN have returned to Mumbai City FC under an AIFF agreement that allowed their release for India’s first SAFF match on the condition they return to their club during the international break.

Those changes leave Moosa with a 20-player pool and just three specialist forwards; Irfan Yadwad, PV Vishnu and Suhail Ahmad Bhat are the only recognised strikers remaining. Any injury, suspension or fatigue among them would leave no like-for-like replacement, and the coaching staff may have to push attack-minded midfielders such as Brison Fernandes and Abhishek Suryavanshi higher up or rotate midfielders into the front line.

Midfield depth has been hit particularly by Suresh’s absence; with him and two others gone, eight midfielders remain and the squad has lost some of its more experienced personnel who would have provided cover for a second-string selection. Defence has also been thinned by departures: Bijoy’s call-up and Valpuia’s release reduce options after India conceded twice in the opener.

The club release arrangement with Mumbai City FC has drawn criticism on social media; the article reproduced a post that read: "This is a joke, if you ask me. @KhelNow We need to find out who negotiated this… https://t.co/GsvmhV1QuZ"

The 20-player group still contains three goalkeepers: Arsh Anwer Shaikh, Mohanraj K, Priyansh Dubey. Defenders named in the squad are Abdul Rabeeh, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Muhammed Uvais, Nathan Rodrigues and Sandip Mandi. Midfielders listed are Abhishek Suryavanshi, Adison Singh Thokchom, Brison Fernandes, Ebindas Yesudasan, Macarton Nickson, Mangenthang Kipgen, Nikhil Prabhu and Ricky John Shabong. The forwards in the squad are Irfan Yadwad, Suhail Ahmad Bhat and PV Vishnu.

India now face the Maldives in their next SAFF Championship match, and Moosa will need to secure the points with a patched-up squad and a frontline that currently has no backup.