New Delhi [India], June 16 : India's U23 team is gearing up for the Asian Cup Qualifiers and will assess their level of preparation with friendly matches against Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic.
A 23-member squad has been announced for the friendly matches against Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic.
The Blue Colts have been training at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata since June 1 and will leave for Tajikistan on Monday evening.
India will face Tajikistan on June 18 before squaring off against the Kyrgyz Republic on June 21.
Both matches, kicking off at 20:30 IST, will take place at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, about 25 kilometres from Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe.
"These two matches against Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic will help us understand the level of our players, and what more we need to add to it. For now, I'm happy with the way we have prepared. We won a couple of practice matches by big margins, but it wasn't much of a competition," said India U23 men's team head coach Naushad Moosa.
"After these friendlies, we will get more understanding of our players and what else we need to work on. The opponents are of a pretty good level, I believe. It's important to play against such teams when you're preparing for the U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, where we will face Qatar and Bahrain," he added.
The camp began with 29 players, of whom 20 made the final list.
The squad was boosted by the addition of forward Suhail Ahmad Bhat, midfielder Ayush Chhetri and defender Tekcham Abhishek Singh, who joined the U23 camp after finishing their duties with the senior national team during the June FIFA Window games against Thailand and Hong Kong, a release said.
India U23 will play its Asian Cup Qualifiers matches in September.
India U23's 23-member squad for June friendlies in Tajikistan:
Goalkeepers: Mohd Arbaz, Priyansh Dubey, Sahil.
Defenders: Bikash Yumnam, Dippendu Biswas, Muhammed Saheef AP, Nikhil Barla, Pramveer, Subham Bhattacharya, Tekcham Abhishek Singh.
Midfielders: Ayush Chhetri, Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mohammed Aimen, Vibin Mohanan, Vinith Venkatesh.
Forwards: Joseph Sunny, Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Thingujam Korou Singh.