By News18,Siddarth Sriram

Copyright news18

India captain Sunil Chhetri has finally linked up with the national men’s football team in Bengaluru, as the Blue Tigers ramp up preparations for their crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Singapore next month.
The talismanic striker was joined by his Bengaluru FC teammates Rahul Bheke and Roshan Singh Naorem on Monday, taking the total number of players in camp to 28. Head coach Khalid Jamil had named 30 probables, but the early days of the camp were marred by club-versus-country tussles.
Clubs Delay Player Release
The camp, which began on September 20, initially saw just 18 players report. Fourteen—including Chhetri—were withheld by their respective clubs, with Bengaluru FC, East Bengal, and Punjab FC all opting to release their players only towards the end of the month.
“Sunil Chhetri, Rahul Bheke, and Roshan Singh Naorem have joined the national training camp today,” the AIFF confirmed in a statement on X.
Their arrival leaves Jamil with only a few days to work with a near-full squad before India depart for Singapore for the October 9 away fixture, followed by the October 14 home leg.
Jamil’s Frustration
The staggered arrivals left Jamil short-handed, especially in defence. Earlier this month, he urged both the clubs and the AIFF to find a “constructive dialogue” to balance domestic and national team commitments.
Under FIFA rules, clubs are not obliged to release players before the international window (October 6–14). Still, Jamil had hoped for more preparation time given the importance of these fixtures.
Other Key Developments
The coach had deliberately excluded players from Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa, owing to their AFC Champions League Two schedules. However, Mohun Bagan SG have since withdrawn from their clash against Sepahan SC in Iran, after their six foreign players refused to travel citing government advisories.
For now, Jamil finally has most of his core group together as India chase a vital step toward qualification.
(with PTI inputs)