India have seen some good moments in the last few years, but the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the moment of reckoning for Sunil Chhetri & CO.
With World Cup, Olympics and even Asian Games football out of the picture, Asian Cup remains the grandest stage for India to prove its worth.
In the 2019 edition of the continental tournament, India have been drawn in Group A alongside UAE, Thailand and Bahrain. Hosts UAE will be the hot favourites to win the group, with Thailand beating Bahrain and India to the second spot.
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India are playing in the competition after eight years' absence, and this time too, it will be a tough campaign. For Sunil Chhetri & Co to qualify for the next round, they will need luck and some favourable results in other matches.
Here's a quick look at all four teams:
UAE
FIFA ranking: 81st
Best finish: Runners-up in 1996
Key players: Ismail Al Hammadi, Khalid Eisa
Coach: Alberto Zaccheroni (Italy)
Squad: GK- Ali Khaseif Humaid (Al Jazzira), Khalid Eisa Bilal (Al Ain), Mohamed Hasan Alshamsi (Al Wehda); DF- Walid Abbas Murad (Shabab Alahli Dubai), Khalifa Mubarak Ghanim (Al Nasr), Fares Juma Al Saadi (Al Ain), Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Khalifa Mubarak Alhammadi (Al Jazzira), Alhasan Saleh Easa (Al Sharjah), Ismail Ahmed Mohamed (Al Ain), Mohamed Ahmad Gharib (Al Ain); MF - Ali Hassan Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Amer Abdulrahman Abdulla (Al Ain), Majed Hassan Ahmad (Shabab Alahli Dubai), Khamis Esmaeel Zayed (Al Wasl), Rayan Yaslam Al Jaberi (Al Ain), Ismail Salem Alhammadi (Shabab Alahli Dubai), Mohamed Abdulrahman Alraqi (Al Ain), Saif Rashid Alshemeili (Al Sharjah), Khalfan Mubarak Alshamsi (Al Jazzira); FW - Forwards: Ali Ahmed Mabkhout (Al Jazzira), Ismaeil Matar Aljneibi (Al Wehda), Ahmed Khalil Aljunaibi (Shabab Alahli Dubai)
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India
FIFA ranking: 96th
Best finish: Runners-up in 1964
Key players: Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua
Coach: Stephen Constantine (England)
Squad: GK - Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (JSW Bengaluru FC), Vishal Kaith (FC Pune City), Amrinder Singh (Mumbai City FC); DF - Ranjan Salam (East Bengal), Subhasish Bose (Mumbai City FC), Sarthak Golui (FC Pune City), Sandesh Jhingan (Kerala Blasters), Pritam Kotal (Delhi Dynamos), Narayan Das (Delhi Dynamos), Anas Edathodika (Kerala Blasters); MF - Germanpreet Singh (Chennaiyin FC), Anirudh Thapa (Chennaiyin FC), Vinit Rai (Delhi Dynamos), Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan (FC Pune City), Pronay Halder (ATK), Udanta Kumam (JSW Bengaluru FC), Rowllin Borgers (NorthEast United), Jackichand Telem (FC Goa), Halicharan Narzary (Kerala Blasters); FW - Forwards: Sumeet Passi (Jamshedpur FC), Balwant Singh (ATK), Sunil Chhetri (JSW Bengaluru FC), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Chennaiyin FC)
Thailand
FIFA ranking: 122nd
Best finish: Third place in 1972
Key players: Chanathip Songkrasin, Teerasil Dangda
Coach: Milovan Rajevac (Serbia)
Squad: GK - Chatchai Bootprom (BG Pathum United F.C.), Saranon Anuin (Singha Chiangrai United), Siwarak Tedsungnoen (Buriram United); DF - Theerathon Bunmathan (Muangthong United), Chalermpong Kerdkaew (Nakhon Ratchasima), Adison Promrak (Muangthong United), Pansa Hemviboon (Buriram United), Korrakot Wiriya-Udomsiri (Buriram United), Suphan Thongsong (Suphanburi), Mika Chunuonsee (True Bangkok United), Tristan DO (True Bangkok United); MF - Sasalak Haiprakhon (Buriram United), Sumanya Purisay (True Bangkok United), Thitiphan Puangjan (BG Pathum United F.C.), Sanrawat Dechmitr (True Bangkok United), Tanaboon Kesarat (BG Pathum United F.C.), Chanathip Songkrasin (Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo), Pokklaw A-Nan (True Bangkok United); FW - Adisak Kraisorn (Muangthong United), Teerasil Dangda (Muangthong United), Sirod Chatthong (PT Prachuap), Chananan Pombupha (Suphanburi), Supachai Chaided (Buriram United)
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Bahrain
FIFA ranking: 116th
Best finish: Fourth place in 2004
Key players: Abdulla Yusuf Helal, Ali Madan
Coach: Miroslav Soukup (Czech Republic)
Baharain: GK - Sayed Shubbar Alawi (Najma), Yusuf Habib Hasan (Malkiyah), Abdulkarim Fardan Abdulkarim (Riffa); DF - Sayed Mahdi Baqer (Nasr), Waleed Mohamed Alhayam (Muharraq), Hamad Mahmood Alshamsan (Riffa), Ahmed Merza Moosa (Hidd), Ahmed Ali Juma (Muharraq), Sayed Redha Isa (Riffa), Ahmed Mubarak Bughammar (Hidd), Ahmed Abdulla Ali (Najma); MF - Sayed Dhiya Saeed (Nasr), Abdulwahab Ali Alsafi (Muharraq), Mohamed Jasim Marhoon (Riffa), Ali Jaafar Madan (Najma), Ali Abdula Haram (Riffa), Jasim Ahmed Alshaikh (Ahli), Komail Hasan Alaswad (Riffa), Jamal Rashed Abdulrahman (Muharraq); FW - Mahdi Faisal Alhumaidan (Ahli), Abdulla Yusuf Helal (Bohemians 1905), Mohamed Saad Alromaihi (Manama), Sami Mohamed Alhusaini (East Riffa)
