Jo Paul Ancheri and Syed Rahim Nabi were omitted as the Indian team management pruned the squad for the August 16 AFC Asian Cup qualifying tie against Saudi Arabia to 22.

Madhab Das, Tarif Ahmed and Abdul Bashir were the other players, now doing duty at the national camp in Kolkata, who failed to make the cut.

Announcing the list, Indian team manager Pradip Chowdhury said two other players would be dropped before the final list of 22 players is announced a day ahead of the match.

"As per rules, we can register only 20 players. But with two days of practice still remaining, we've decided to announce a 22 member list today in case we need to substitute any player due to injury or other reasons,'' Chowdhury said on Saturday.

He said the captain would be named in a day or two.

Asked about Nabi's omission, Chowdhury said it is the prerogative of chief coach Bob Houghton to select players.

"He did not want too many changes from the side that played recently in Vancouver."

Ancheri's exclusion was expected as Houghton had himself said that the veteran was a part of his long-term plans, but was yet to regain full fitness.

He said some of the players who were dropped on Saturday could be called in the next camp that would be held after the Saudi match.

Chowdhury said that he is happy with the preparations and hoped that the team would perform well against the world cupper studded team from the Middle East.

"The players have worked hard. And they are eager to give their best," he said.

Meanwhile, AIFF president P R Dasmunshi visited the team hotel this afternoon and gave a pep talk to the boys.

The Saudi Arabia team would arrive on Sunday.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sandip Nandy (Mahindra United), Subrata Paul (Mohun Bagan), Subhasis Roy Chaudhary (Mahindra United).

Defenders: Surkumar Singh (Mahindra United), N S Manju (Mahindra United), Deepak Mondal (Mohun Bagan), Samir Naik (Dempo SC), Anupam Sarkar (East Bengal), Narinder Singh (JCT), N P Pradeep (Mahindra United), Habibur Rehman Mondal (East Bengal), Sanjiv Maria (Mohun Bagan), Rakesh Masih (TFA)

Midfielders: S. Venkatesh (Mahindra United), Steven Dias (Mahindra United), Mehrajuddin Wadoo (Mohun Bagan), Manjit Singh (Bengal), P. Renedy Singh (JCT), Bibiano Fernandes (East Bengal).

Forwards: Baichung Bhutia (Mohun Bagan), Fredy Mascarnhas (East Bengal), Sunil Chetri (JCT Mills), Alvito D'Cunha (East Bengal).

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