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#4 Igor Stimac’ selection of Adil Khan and Pronay Halder backfires
India shuffled their defensive pack for the trip to Muscat as they fielded Ashique Kuruniyan and Nishu Kumar at left-back and right back, respectively. However, Igor Stimac decided to persist with the same central defensive and midfield pairing, meaning that Adil Khan and Pronay Halder started, despite both nursing slight niggles.
The duo began the game shakily as the latter was constantly overrun in midfield whereas the former also endured a few nervy moments at the back. More worryingly though, they looked a touch off the pace, meaning that those around them had to shoulder additional responsibility.
Consequently, the strain led to them aggravating the injuries they had been carrying, meaning that India were forced into two changes in the opening period.
While Stimac had the luxury of calling upon like-for-like replacements in Anas Edathodika and Vinit Rai, tweaks mid-way through the half usually throw a spoke in a side’s wheel. And, that was the case when the midfielder lost out on a tackle that led to the first goal.
Thus, courtesy the injuries, the Pandora’s box of players being preferred even when they weren’t 100% fit was unlocked. And, though both players represented vital cogs in the Indian wheel, their mid-game injuries certainly left India worse off.
