India’s 23-man roster for the SAFF U19 Championship, which will take place in Arunachal Pradesh from May 9–18, was revealed by head coach Bibiano Fernandes. Following an initial camp in Bengaluru, the Blue Colts came in Itanagar on April 30 with a probables team of 25 players. Since then, they have been practicing in the city in preparation for the subcontinental competition.

“We began more than a month ago in Bengaluru with about fifty scouted players who showed up for the trials,” Bibiano said. I wasn’t shocked to see how talented these youngsters are.

“The caliber of the scouting done to identify these athletes really pleased me. The process of assembling the squad has been a protracted one. The 48-year-old, who had three SAFF junior championship appearances, emphasized the value of the team’s acclimatization time.

“The federation was kind enough to bring us here early so we could get used to the ground, the height, the weather, and everything else. Additionally, we’ve participated in several practice games in Itanagar and Bengaluru, which have really aided in our team’s development,” he said. Along with Nepal and Sri Lanka, India was placed into Group B of the competition. They will play the latter on May 9 at Golden Jubilee Stadium.