Striking Changes: Revamping Indian Football's Goal-Scoring Strategy

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, Kalyan Chaubey, acknowledged the Indian national team's recent struggles in securing victories, following their unexpected 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying rounds.

Chaubey pointed to the lack of effective Indian strikers as a major issue and emphasized the need for a practical solution, such as granting more playing time to Indian forwards. He proposed collectively reducing the number of foreign players in domestic leagues, which could provide more opportunities for Indian players.

Discussing the potential for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) players to join the national team, Chaubey stressed the requirement for systematic changes. While the process is ongoing, the AIFF is working closely to create eligibility lists, hoping to strengthen the team by tapping into untapped overseas talent.

(With inputs from agencies.)