India's most-capped goalkeeper Subrata Paul was today dropped from the 32-member national football probable list for the forthcoming 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against the Kyrgyz Republic.
The 31-year-old Paul, who has been a part of multiple Nehru Cup triumphs and the AFC Challenge Cup win in 2009, which helped India qualify for the Asian Cup after a gap 27 years, did not figure in the list compiled by chief coach Stephen Constantine.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri's name is also not in the list due to double bookings in India's last international.
The players will undergo a preparatory camp in Mumbai ahead of the March 27 match against the Kyrgyz Republic at the Dolon Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek.
Paul had last year earned a massive reprieve after the National Anti- Doping Agency (NADA) revoked his provisional suspension, letting him off with a warning with regards to violation of anti-doping rule.
Paul was India's custodian during their three successive title triumphs under English coach Bob Houghton - the Nehru Cups of 2007 and 2009, and the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 - and he also kept goal for India in all the matches at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in
2011, making 35 saves in all matches, including 16 in a 4-1 defeat to Korea, which earned him a nickname of 'Indian Spiderman' from the rival coach.
Paul is also the first Indian goalkeeper to sign for a foreign club, having signed up with FC Vestsjaelland of Denmark in January 2014, and has also represented Kolkata's big two clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, besides a long stint with Pune FC.
He has played for Mumbai City FC and NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) and represented DSK Shivajians for the previous couple of seasons of the I-League.
The list of probables is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith, Amrinder Singh, Rehenesh TP
DEFENDERS: Pritam Kotal, Nishu Kumar, Lalruatthara, Anas Edathodika, Sandesh Jhingan, Salam Ranjan Singh, Sarthak Golui, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Narayan Das, Subhasish Bose.
MIDFIELDERS: Jackichand Singh, Udanta Singh, Seityasen Singh, Dhanapal Ghanesh, Anirudh Thapa, Germanpreet Singh, Rowllin Borges, Md. Rafique, Cavin Lobo, Bikash Jairu, Halicharan Narzary.
FORWARDS: Hitesh Sharma, Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Seminlen Doungel, Alen Deory, Manvir Singh, Sumeet Passi.
(With PTI Inputs)
