Jeje Lalpekhlua to captain India Under-22s

Pune FC's Jeje Lalpekhlua will lead India in the AFC Under-22 Asian Championship qualifiers to be played in Muscat from June 23. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has been named his deputy. The Indian squad which has been preparing at the Al Wasl Training Ground in Dubai leaves for Muscat on Thursday, June 21 morning for the qualifiers.

The final 23 players were also named for the qualifiers with Ramandeep Singh (Air India), Chingkhei Meetei Yumnam (Tata Football Academy), David Lalbiakzara (Pune FC), Bikramjit Singh Sr. (Pailan Arrows) and Rajinder Kumar (Pailan Arrows) being left out of the final squad.

"It is a huge honour for me to lead my country," Jeje said on the appointment. "We have been training under Head Coach Arthur Papas since the first week of June and he has been a pillar of support to all of us," Jeje added.

India who have been clubbed with hosts Oman, Lebanon, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Turkmenistan in Group A of the qualifiers. India open their campaign against Lebanon on June 23.

Meanwhile, the India U-22s defeated DNATA Club 4-1 in their second friendly match yesterday. After a barren first half, Lalrindika Ralte scored a brace for India while Shyjumon and striker Manandeep Singh scored one apiece.


INDIA U-22 Team

Goalkeepers
Soram Poirei Angamba (Shillong Lajong FC), Ravi Kumar (Pailan Arrows), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (East Bengal Club)

Defenders
Abhishek Das (East Bengal Club), Narayan Das (Tata Football Academy), Deepak Devrani (Pailan Arrows), Souvik Ghosh (Pailan Arrows), Pritam Kotal (Pailan Arrows), Vishal Kumar (Pailan Arrows), Prathmesh Maulingkar (Pailan Arrows)

Midfielders
Romeo Fernandes (Dempo SC), Ganeshan (Pune FC), Pronoy Haldar (Pailan Arrows), Shyjumon (Chirag United Kerala), Deepak Prakash (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), Lalrindika Ralte (Churchill Brothers SC), Tirthankar Sarkar (Pailan Arrows), Ongnam Milan Singh (Pailan Arrows), Simranjit Singh (Tata Football Academy)

Forwards
Alwin George (Pailan Arrows), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Pune FC, Captain), Holicharan Narzary (Pailan Arrows), Manandeep Singh (Air India)

Officials
Arthur Papas (Head Coach)