Thailand are beatable, we can go to Australia: Crispin Chhetri
Kolkata: The thing about FIFA rankings is that they can conceal as much as they reveal. At 46, Thailand top the 2026 AFC Asian Women's Cup qualifiers but it is Timor-Leste, Mongolia and Iraq that worry Crispin Chhetri just as much. Because the India head coach said he has 'zero idea' about them. India women's football team head coach Crispin Chhetri. (AIFF)
Explains why Chhetri said that rankings can be tricky, referencing India's losses to Bangladesh and Nepal in the 2024 SAFF Championship to embellish the point. At 70, India are ranked second in the group from which only the winners will go to the finals in Australia next March. India haven't qualified on merit since 2003, Thailand played the 2019 World Cup but Chhetri, who turned 50 on Friday, is not ruling out an upset.
'I think if the players believe in themselves, Thailand are beatable,' said Chhetri. 'Right now, we have started thinking that we could go to Australia.' The comment fits into the positive attitude Chhetri is trying to inculcate. 'I try to instill not to fear losing. Because the day you stop fearing losses is when you will be successful.'
India open against Mongolia on Monday, play Iraq on June 29, Timor-Leste on July 2 and Thailand on July 5. All matches will be at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Chhetri speaks softly but not without steel, especially when he makes the point about India qualifying for the finals. He will need all of it and then some if India are to meet his target of making the 48-team 2031 World Cup. 'I think we have a realistic chance,' he said, in a virtual call on Saturday.
The squad is being built with 2031 in mind, Chhetri said, explaining the omission of goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan and defenders Ashalata Devi and Dalima Chhibber. Together, they have a combined experience of 212 internationals. All three played in the 2024-25 Indian Women's League (IWL) won comprehensively by East Bengal.
'It is not about form,' said Chhetri. But they are no longer automatic starters, he said. 'Why should I block the place of a junior player? We are looking to build a core that will serve India for the next 10 years.'
The squad in Chiang Mai has 'senior players but at the same time, younger players who are hungry. So, there is both drive and control.' Soumya Guguloth scored nine goals in IWL, the most by an Indian, and in Manisha Kalyan India have a forward who plays for PAOK in Greece. Kalyan, 23, joined the preparatory camp straight after the European season. Manisha is mentally very strong which explains why she has been able to stay in Europe for three seasons while others have not lasted more than one, said Chhetri.
India trained in Bengaluru for nearly 40 days, played two friendlies (both 0-1 defeats to Uzbekistan) and will have been in Thailand one week before their opener. The one thing he would have liked was an exposure tour ahead of the qualifiers but Chhetri said he gave players a fortnight off because they needed a break after IWL.
That, and avoiding injuries. Defender Astam Oraon, India captain in the under-17 World Cup, has just returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and along with forwards Sandhiya Ranganathan, Renu and Karishma Shirvoikar are unavailable on fitness grounds. Ranganathan will be missed, said Chhetri.
Like Manolo Marquez with the senior men's team, Chhetri has been juggling responsibilities for Odisha FC and India. As per his contracts with the club and All India Football Federation, it will be that way till February 2026. Odisha FC, champions under Chhetri in 2023-24, being relegated this time – injuries hurt us and we paid for not planning for a strong bench, he said – also means the qualifiers are an opportunity to salvage his reputation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
25 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India vs England day 3 in stats featuring Jasprit Bumrah's record-setting day
India vs England: Jasprit Bumrah continued his record-breaking spree in Test whites as he spearheaded India's overseas pace bowling in yet another innings with his 14 five-wicket haul at Leeds on Sunday. Bumrah's 5/83 effort ensured that England were bundled out for 465 in their first innings, handing India only a slender six-run lead after his pace partners Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna endured their worst Test outings at Headingley. India's pace spearhead also scaled new heights in terms of sheer performance of Test bowlers at their peaks, catching up with the primes of Pakistani legends Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. Here are the top stats and records from India vs England Day 3's play at Leeds: 150 – Jasprit Bumrah became the 30th bowler to record 150 Test wickets in SENA countries (including home bowlers). Only Vernon Philander (20.84) holds a better average than Bumrah (20.88) in the four countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). 11 – Bumrah equalled R Ashwin (11 in 78 innings) for the most five-wickets hauls in the World Test Championship in only 67 innings. 12 – Bumrah equalled Kapil Dev for the most Test five-fors among Indian bowlers in away Tests. The tally is also the highest by any pacer in the 21st century. 30.9 – Bumrah's strike rate in his last 20 Tests (37 innings) since Jan 2022 for his 103 wickets is the best for any bowler in history in a 20-match sequence, eclipsing Waqar Younis (32.46 for 133 wickets). 15.27 – Bumrah's average in his last 20 Tests is only bettered by Imran Khan (15.12 for 116 wickets between 1981-85) in a 20-match sequence among all Test pacers. 2 – For the first time in 10 years, two India pacers conceded more than 120 runs (Md Siraj 2/122 and Prasidh Krishna 3/128) in the same Test innings. 6.40 – Prasidh Krishna's economy rate is the worst for an India pacer in a Test innings conceding at least 100 runs. Only Lahiru Kumara (6.56 for 0/164) has conceded more runs at a higher economy in a Test innings among fast bowlers.
Indian Express
25 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Indian shuttlers dominate at Asian Para Badminton Championships
Indian para-badminton contingent ended the Badminton Asia Para Badminton Championships 2025 with a total of 27 medals making it the best performance in the tournament. Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar starred for India winning three gold medals as the contingent finished with four gold medals, ten silver and 13 bronze medals. Nitesh won gold in MS SL3 category and paired up with Tulshimati Murgesan and Sukant Kadam to win gold medals in mixed doubles SL3-SU5 category and men's doubles SL3-SL4 category respectively. Manisha Ramadass won the other gold in the women's singles SU5 category. In the men's doubles SL3-SL4 category final, Sukant Kadam and Nitesh Kumar battled past fellow Indians Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar in a gripping three-set match that ended 21-17 11-21 21-11. The bronze in the same category also went to India, with Mohammad Arwaz Ansari and Abhijeet Sakhuja stepping onto the podium. Reflecting on the tournament, Sukant Kadam said, 'It was one of those finals where you have to dig deep and trust your training. The competition is getting stronger each year, and this gold is a result of staying focused on the small things that make a difference.' Apart from Nitesh, Krishna Nagar, Nithya Sre, Manasi Joshi, Chirag Baretha, and Mandeep Kaur were the other multiple medallists in the tournament. In the mixed doubles SH6 event, Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Krishna Nagar and his partner Nithya Sre gave it their all in a high-energy final against China's Lin Naili and Li Fengmei, narrowly missing the top spot and settling for silver after a 13-21, 21-19, 14-21 contest. India also dominated the mixed doubles SL3–SU5 event, sweeping all three medals, with Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murgesan taking gold in a clinical straight-sets win over Ruthick Raghupathi and Manasi Joshi, while Chirag Baretha and Mandeep Kaur earned bronze. Gold Medalists 1. Nitesh Kumar MS SL3 2. Nitesh Kumar & Tulshimati Murgesan XD SL3-SU5 3. Mnisha Ramadas WS SU5 4. Nitesh Kumar & Sukant Kadam MD SL3-SL4 Silver Medalists 1. Krishna Nagar & Nithya XD SH6 2. Mandeep Kaur WS-SL3 3. Palak Kohali WS- SL4 4. Ruthick Raghupati & Manshi Joshi XD SL3-SU5 5. Nithya Sre WS-SH6 6. Nithya Sre & Rachna Patel WD-SH6 7. Suryakant Yadav MS-SL4 8. Jagdish Dilli & Naveen Shivakumar MD SL3-SL4 09. Ruthick Raghupati & Hardik Makkar MD-SU5 10. Manshi Joshi & Tulshimati Murgeshan WD SL3-SU5 Bronze Medalists 1. Manshi Joshi- WS SL3 2. Naveen Shivakumar – MS SL4 3. Abhijeet Sakhuja & Arbaz Ansari MD SL3 -SL4 4. Umesh Vikaram Kumar – MS SL3 5. Prem ale & Abu Hubaida MD – WH1-WH2 6. Alphia James & Pallavi Kaluvehalli M – WD WH1-WH2 7. Tulshimathi Murgesan – WS SU5 8. Krishna Nagar – MS SH-6 9. Krishna Nagar & D Pandurangan, MD- SH6 10. Chirag Baretha & Mandeep Kaur XD SL3-SU5 11. Chirag Baretha & Rajkumar MD SU5 12. Alphia james WS-WH2 13. Manisha & Mandeep WD SL3-SU5
News18
25 minutes ago
- News18
Sparks Fly As Mohammed Siraj Engages In War Of Words With Harry Brook
Last Updated: Mohammed Siraj and Harry Brook clashed on Day 3 of the first Test at Headingley, with Brook's aggressive batting frustrating Siraj. Star India pacer Mohammed Siraj and Harry Brook were involved in a heated altercation on Sunday, June 22, Day 3 of the first Test between India and England in Headingley, as the former gave his best to dismiss a set Brook, who looked to attack any bowler that he faced. Brook took down the new ball as the Indian pacers couldn't extract much movement with it. He struck two sublime fours off Siraj, who was running out of ideas. The bowler then issued two words after a prolonged stare. Brook just waved Siraj off, eager to get on with his knock and build on the momentum he had. Watch the video here: 👀😯🗣️ Tensions rising in the middle! #MohammedSiraj and #HarryBrook in a fiery exchange as the heat is on at Headingley! 🔥 #ENGvIND 1st Test Day 3 LIVE NOW Streaming on JioHotstar 👉 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 22, 2025 Siraj was left with no reply after Brook's carnage in the 86th over. The former has been off colour, lacking consistency right from his first spell with the new ball on the second day.
