Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh left out as coach Khalid Jamil picks India team for New Zealand tour

Senior goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has been dropped from the Indian football team for their upcoming away matches against New Zealand. National head coach Khalid Jamil announced the 23-member squad on Friday, opting for a shake-up following the team's heavy 0-4 loss to Brazil in October.

Squad Changes

Three new faces take over the goalkeeping duties for the trip: Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar, and Vishal Kaith. The roster also pulls in Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail, and Liston Colaco straight from Naushad Moosa's SAFF Championship 2026 team in Dhaka. At the same time, Farukh Choudhary, Noufal PN, and Hmingthanmawia Ralte leave that tournament to rejoin Mumbai City FC, while Ronney Kharbudon drops out due to an injury.

Match Schedule

Jamil's squad gathers in Bengaluru on November 7 for a quick practice session before flying out to Auckland that night. The Blue Tigers play their first game against New Zealand on November 12 at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland at 11:30 IST, followed by the second fixture on November 15 at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch at 08:30 IST.

Context

International friendlies during official FIFA windows give national teams a chance to test their players against global competition outside of regional tournaments. Playing away matches against a World Cup-qualified side like New Zealand offers valuable match practice for the Indian team as they build towards future competitive fixtures.