India name 23-man squad for All Whites friendlies, without Sandhu

India have named a 23-player squad for their two friendlies against the All Whites. India.com reports that former captain and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is not in it.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said head coach Khalid Jamil named the squad on Friday, 6 November 2026. The squad is for the November FIFA international window.

Fixtures

12 November: New Zealand v India at Go Media Stadium, Auckland.
15 November: New Zealand v India at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch.

Both dates and venues come from the AIFF. It lists kick-off times in Indian time only.

Sandhu left out

India.com says Sandhu’s omission follows India’s 4-0 loss to Brazil. He was in the team for that match. The report does not give a reason for leaving him out. It says he is not in Jamil’s plans for this tour.

The goalkeepers named are Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar and Vishal Kaith. The AIFF release does not mention Sandhu.

Injuries

India.com reports that East Bengal defender Anwar Ali has a Grade 1 hamstring injury. It says he is expected to be out for more than a month. It also says midfielder Lalengmawia Ralte, known as Apuia, and forward Mohammed Sanan missed out because of injury.

SAFF Championship players

The AIFF says three players from Naushad Moosa’s SAFF Championship squad have joined Jamil’s group. They are Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco. They will leave the tournament in Dhaka. The squad will assemble in Bengaluru on 7 November. It will train the next day and fly to Auckland that night.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Jay Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam, Roshan Singh Naorem.
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Jithin MS, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Tomba Singh Haobam.
Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Edmund Lalrindika, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Muhammad Suhail, Ryan Williams.

The AIFF squad list matches the one on India.com.

Jamil’s comments

Jamil said the two games would be a good test away from home. In the AIFF release he called New Zealand “a World Cup-playing nation and a strong opponent”.