The exposure-starved Indian football team will take on higher-ranked Tajikistan in an international friendly here on Wednesday, in what will be their first show of strength in more than six months.
India have played just one international match so far in 2013, a 2-4 loss to Palestine in February and Wim Koevermans’ men will be aiming to give a good account of themselves ahead of the Saff Championships in Kathmandu from September 1 to 11.
In recent times, India and Tajikistan are even in terms of head-to-head results. India beat them in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup final in New Delhi to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup. In the group stage of the same tournament, the two sides had played out a 1-1 draw.
Last year, India lost to Tajikistan 0-2 in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup final round in Nepal.
Tajikistan are ranked 114th in the Fifa charts while India are 145th.
India have also not recorded an overseas international friendly win since 2004 when they beat Kuwait 3-2 in Kuwait City.
Coach Koevermans is confident that his players would be up for the task.