Why is Sandesh Jhingan not playing in India's SAFF Championship semi-final vs Lebanon?

Indian center-back Sandesh Jhingan will not feature in the side's starting lineup in the SAFF Championship semi-final against Lebanon at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday, July 1.

The veteran defender collected a yellow card for a rush tackle early on in the final group-stage clash against Kuwait. Being his second booking of the tournament, Jhingan is suspended for the semi-final clash.

He previously received a yellow card in their SAFF competition opener against Pakistan, where India put four goals past their arch-rivals.

The absence of the 29-year-old for the Blue Tigers' backline, given he has been a mainstay in that center-back position. Head coach Igor Stimac has preferred to play Jhingan and Anwar Ali as his first-choice pairing.

The hosts have some capable replacements for the Chandigarh-born in Rahul Bheke and Mehtab Singh, both having started against Nepal. But Jhingan's composure and solidity will definitely be a miss for India.

Meanwhile, acknowledging what a big blow it will be for India to not have Jhingan in the starting line-up, national team skipper Sunil Chhetri said in the press conference:

"Personally, I always want to play with Jhingan, whether in the national team, club, or training ground. The number one reason for that is that he does not like to lose. I hope, after the game, I can tell you that we didn't miss him because whoever comes in his place will do justice and give his best, and I know that for a fact."

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India wary of improved resistance from Lebanon

This is the third time India will lock horns against Lebanon in a matter of a few weeks. In the recently concluded Intercontinental Cup, the Blue Tigers played out a goalless draw in the group stage before edging them by a 2-0 margin in the final.

However, having faced each other on multiple occasions in such short intervals, both teams will be wary of their strengths. Underlining the same during the pre-match press conference, the Indian captain stressed:

"We know quite a lot about Lebanon as we've already played them twice. I'm sure they have the same feeling about us. They would also want a piece of us back because of what happened in the last two games."

The Cedars have been on an impressive run to top Group B, emerging victorious in all three of their clashes. They beat Bangladesh 2-0, Bhutan 4-1, and Maldives 1-0 to become the only team to hold a perfect record in this year's tournament.

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