NEW DELHI: Their competitive return to action with a new-look squad saw India hold Oman to a 1-1 draw.
Their next test is even more formidable-- against the United Arab Emirates who are ranked 74 in the world.
Coach Igor Stimac had handed debuts to ten players in their previous encounter and the Croat has already hinted at multiple changes ahead of the game on Monday at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai.
The former Croatian international defender revealed that mainstay of the Indian defence Sandesh Jhingan will not be a part of the starting XI.
Instead he will be looking at the other options available to him. "I can tell this now that Sandesh will not be involved in the next game because I need to see Mashoor Shereef and Adil Khan. It wouldn't be justice done if I don't let them play. We are going to see everyone who didn't play in the last game, play in the second one," stated Stimac during the pre-match virtual press conference. .
Among the other changes the former defender will make for the game is play Lalengmawia - better known as Apuia - from the start. He came on as second-half substitute against Oman and did well.
"We have a very young and quality player in Apuia. But it was not all his credit because the rest of the boys in the second half helped him a lot to organise the game. They were moving much quicker and better and passing with simplicity. Apuia will start from the beginning of the next game."
The first-half display in that game was far from stellar with the opposition given far too much room to maneuver. And the national team coach is already working on trying to cut this out as the international arena can be quite unforgiving.
"Off the ball positioning in the middle of the pitch is crucial to have better control of the game. In international football, when you give space to the opposition, you will get punished. Our players need to understand that this is not the ISL where there is lots of time and space to control the ball. If you behave here as you do in ISL you will get badly hurt.
"This is the thing we need to change in the young players' mindset. How to adapt to international matches. There is no time and space. You need to be quick and sharp to control the ball in the middle and make runs behind the player. Against Oman, we made the mistake of not following the players. We are working on this and it is going to be better."
India vs UAE
March 29, Zabeel Stadium
8:30 pm IST on Eurosport and Eurosport HD