India v Russia: Blue Tigresses seek response in Kishore Bharati friendly on Oct 11
India’s women’s team will face Russia at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday, 11 October 2026 in the second international friendly of the October window as they attempt to recover from a recent 0-4 defeat to the same opponents. The fixture kicks off at 6 PM IST and will be live streamed on YouTube.
India’s loss to Russia ended a five-match winning streak for the Blue Tigresses and provided a stark assessment of their current level against a strong visiting side. Head coach Crispin Chettri is assessing his options amid reports he might not have his strongest squad available and is considering tactical adjustments to shore up the defence and produce greater cutting edge in the final third. Russia arrive under Yuri Krasnozhan buoyed by their previous win over India and aiming to sustain the momentum they displayed in that match. Both coaches have been linked with selection decisions for this second friendly, with one part of the report saying Chettri should have the same players available from the previous game and another noting Krasnozhan is likely to have a fully-fit unit.
A positive result for India, whether a win or a fighting draw, is framed in the report as a potential morale booster after the heavy defeat, while a repeat heavy loss at home would be particularly damaging for the hosts. The article suggests Chettri will prioritise defensive solidity and greater bravery in attack to prevent Russia from dominating proceedings as they did previously. Russia are described as likely to continue playing attacking, incisive football while remaining defensively mobile and compact to control the tempo.
The preview lists a head-to-head caption as India women wins – 0 Russia women wins – 3 and provides probable squads for both teams. India’s names given are Monalisha Devi (GK), Purnima Kumari, Juli Kishan, Ranjana Chanu, Shubhangi Singh, Sangita Basfore, Sanfida Nongrum, Priyadharshini, Cindy Colney, Lynda Kom and Renu Selina. Russia’s listed players are Natalia (GK), Kuropatkina Veronika, Semenova Elizaveta, Morozov Natalia, Butkevich Vladislava, Sheina Lana, Stistunova Lana, Smirnova Nadezdha, Iukjaeva Polina, Acholan Marine and Kira Petukhova.
The preview singles out Sanfida Nongrum as an emerging figure for India in 2026, noting she scored India’s first goal at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and that she has been an unpredictable attacking threat. The piece says Nongrum, described as 21 years old, must improve her defensive work-rate, be bolder when carrying the ball forward, produce more dangerous passes into the final third and convert goal-scoring opportunities more efficiently. On the Russian side the article highlights Kira Petukova, who was reported to have scored twice in 20 minutes after coming on in the previous meeting, and says she looks primed to start and will aim to continue causing problems for the Indian backline.
The India vs Russia international women’s friendly will be played at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with a 6 PM IST kick-off and a live stream available on YouTube.
