Subrata Paul dropped from Indian football squad

Veteran goalkeeper Subrata Paul was on Thursday dropped from the 32-member national football probable list for the forthcoming 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against 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 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 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.