ESPN India's daily live blog is your handy guide for everything to do with the wide world of Indian sport. We have the latest updates and analysis from the entire bouquet of Olympic and franchise sports with an Indian bent. The blog is updated throughout the day, so keep checking back to catch up on news you may have missed.
Here are all the key updates from December 19, Tuesday:
PKL update
Haryana Steelers put up a solid all-around display to earn a gritty 31-29 victory over Gujarat Giants at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Tuesday. Steelers also became the first team in season 10 to register four successive wins.
Check out the points table to check how things stand after today's match.
Explained: AIFF looking to attract PIOs/OCIs to play for India
Right then, here's Shyam Vasudevan explaining the nuts and bolts of the story.
Is it possible to convince PIOs and OCIs to play for India? Who are some of the best Indian-origin players that the AIFF could approach? Also, will the "import" of players of Indian origin help Indian football?
You can read it here.
AIFF to approach PIOs for India selection, says Kalyan Chaubey
In a move that could have a huge impact on India's sporting structure, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is exploring the possibility of selecting Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India) for the Indian football team, says Kalyan Chaubey.
The AIFF president says they will approach 24 PIO players, but it won't be an easy task. As per the current rules, PIOs and OCIs will have to adopt Indian citizenship if they want to represent the country. In addition to this, the individual must also stay in India for 12 months before applying for citizenship.
"We are looking to approach 24 PIO players who are playing across the world. But you know there is the issue of dual citizenship (not being permitted to play for India). So, we have to see how this can be done within the framework of Central Government's rules," Chaubey told PTI in an interview, without revealing the names of the players.
In this regard, the AIFF has formed a task force to study how feasible it is to let PIOs and OCIs play for the country's national team. The committee will be headed by Punjab Football Association president Samir Thapar and will submit its report by January 31, 2024.
The inclusion of PIO and OCI players has been a constant debate in Indian football. Particularly so in recent times when former Liverpool youth star Yan Dhanda, an English player of Indian origin, made a plea for OCI cards to be permitted so he could play for India. Current India coach Igor Stimac has also advocated the need to select PIO players for the Indian team.
Giving up my passport means I can't play professionally in the UK and some European clubs, due to India's FIFA ranking. Permitting OCI cards, similar to other countries, will allow me to represent the Indian football team as a dual national. I hope this can happen soon ���� https://t.co/YOfT5YmnIa
- Yan (@yandhanda) March 27, 2023
Even back in the day when Bob Houghton was India coach, efforts were made to bring in Michael Chopra, who had played for England age group teams and for clubs like Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, to play for India. But the move did not materialize since PIO and OCI card holders could represent India only if they gave up their foreign citizenships and got Indian passports.
What's on today?
The ISL takes a break, but the I-League has quite the clash with Sreenidi Deccan, knee deep in a title race taking on Gokulam Kerala, who've not hit the heights this season and are in sixth place, six points behind Sreenidi and ten behind leaders Mohammedan Sporting.
In the PKL, seventh-placed Haryana Steelers take on third-placed Gujarat Giants - with the two teams separated by two points in the PKL table.
There's also the small matter of a little-known tournament called the Indian Premier League having an auction. Do give them the eyeballs, this underdog league needs it greatly.
India take on South Africa in the 2nd ODI at...Gqeberha (once called Port Elizabeth, which was far easier on the tongue).
What happened yesterday?
We have another Kolkata Derby in this Indian football season as the Kalinga Super Cup draw was announced.
Bengal Warriors and UP Yoddhas played out a tie, while Puneri Paltan went to the top of the PKL table with a win over Dabang Delhi.
Punjab FC won their first ISL game with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Chennaiyin FC, with Madih Talal scoring the winner.
You can check all the details of yesterday's news events here.