Youngsters raring to against Oman and UAE

The matches scheduled to held on March 25 and March 29 respectively in Dubai, are part of the preparations for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers to be held in June.

The 35-member squad will be pruned to 28 after the Indian Super League (ISL) final on March 13.

India name 35 probables for matches against Oman and UAE

The Blue Tigers will then assemble for a preparatory camp in Dubai from March 15.

ISL franchise FC Goa's goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh, who is one of the many youngsters in the probables list, opined that it was going to be a great learning curve for him.

"This call-up is very encouraging for me. The camp provides me with an opportunity to train with the best and learn from the best. I need to constantly keep pushing myself to achieve my dream of playing for my country. I understand this is just my first step. A big thank you to coach for having faith in me."

.@stimac_igor names 3️⃣5️⃣-man list of probables for International Friendlies against Oman 🇴🇲 and UAE 🇦🇪

Read the statement here 👉 https://t.co/rvkQFf5jEY#BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/zWnUvVyWe4

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 2, 2021

NorthEast United FC midfielder Lalengmawia feels that he is one step close to realising his dream.

"The call-up is one of the best things which has happened to me. But I haven't achieved anything as yet. There's still a long way to go. My dream is to represent my country and I can go to any extent to get it fulfilled. Thank you coach for your trust in me," he said.

Youngsters express gratitude to coach Stimac for his 'trust' in them 🇮🇳🙌

Read here 👉 https://t.co/jAWBp26GVa#IndianFootball ⚽ #BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootballForwardTogether 💪 pic.twitter.com/YUNN9WkLEs

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 3, 2021

Speaking about the new faces, Stimac said, "It'll be great to meet some new young guns and to check how bright our future is with them. The two matches against Oman and UAE mean a lot to Indian football. It’s been a while since we last played and this is a great opportunity to check where we stand at the moment," the Croat added.

Though India are out of contention for a berth at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, they still have a chance to make it to the AFC Asian Cup 2023 to be held in China.