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India begin their preparation for a crucial AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier away to Macau on September 5 with two friendlies against Mauritius and St Kitts & Nevis in Mumbai on August 19 and 24, respectively. Macau, ranked 183 in the world, may not provide the most formidable opposition, but neither will the two opponents India face in Mumbai, both ranked lower than India and one fielding a second-string side. India, though, must look at this as an opportunity to let their younger players take centre stage and stake a claim for regular starts in future games. Here's all you need to know about the Tri-nation Series, where the third match will feature St Kitts & Nevis facing Mauritius on August 22. What do India have to play for? India will be without the services of Sunil Chhetri and Udanta Singh, who will be turning out for Bengaluru FC in the first leg of their AFC Cup knockout match in Bengaluru on August 23. India's AFC Asian Cup qualification campaign has largely been dependent on the strike prowess of Chhetri, scorer of both winners against Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan. With Chhetri missing from these two matches, it will be an opportune moment for the other players in the attacking third to stake a claim for a regular starting position alongside Jeje Lalpekhlua, and it could boil down to direct contest between Robin Singh and Holicharan Narzary. Narzary has been a critical part of Indian plans, with his ability to operate across both wings proving crucial in coach Stephen Constantine's flexible formation, wherein he has sometimes opted to play three across the front and made Rowllin Borges shore up the centre of midfield with two players ahead of him. Constantine has chopped and changed the rest of the team a lot in the lead-up to 2017, where he seems to have found a more settled defence and midfield. The Tri-nation Series presents him with an opportunity to give some game time to some of the untried players, though he may look to pull ahead in both games before he experiments. A win against Macau in September could effectively put one foot in the Asian Cup finals in UAE in two years, and that's why building up some momentum is critical ahead of that match. What team could Constantine field? India have already handed out an international debut to more than 30 players since Constantine returned for his second stint with the team in 2015. That trend could continue, especially given that 10 of the probables called up by Constantine were with him recently at the AFC U-23 Qualifiers in Qatar where the Indian team put in a creditable show against quality opposition. Right-back Davinder Singh is likely to get in, which could mean a rest for regular starter in that position Pritam Kotal. Davinder is a 22-year-old who has made the graduation up to India reckoning from being a university-level player just before selection for the U-23 team, where it is understood his performances impressed his coach. Constantine is unlikely to tinker with the central defence, where Anas Edathodika and Sandesh Jhingan have begun striking up a good partnership. There are lots of options for the left-back position as well, and the selection of Jerry Lalrinzuala ahead of Narayan Das would also not come as a surprise. How should India line up their midfield -- do they field two central midfielders or look to take the game to the opposition with just one, leaving two other midfielders to support a potential three-pronged attack? India might be keen to put Rowllin Borges or someone like Milan Singh at the centre of the pitch, and let Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Anirudh Thapa play around him and support the attacking line. Thapa is an exciting prospect, whose outings for his Indian Super League (ISL) team Chennaiyin FC in 2016-17 were limited but impressive enough for the club to retain him for this season. The attack will centre around Jeje Lalpekhlua, but the players who get to partner him on either side could be an interesting indicator for the Macau match. While Constantine might choose to start with Robin Singh and Holicharan Narzary - one offers strength while the other has electric pace - U-23 international Manvir Singh could also be a left-of-field pick that the Indian coach might keep in mind with Macau on his sights. How do India stack up against the others? India, at 97, are the highest ranked of the three teams at the Tri-Nation Series, but would be well-advised not to take the opposition lightly. St Kitts & Nevis, though ranked 125 at the moment, were at 73 as recently as March this year, and have slid down the rankings only because their two most-recent games were friendlies away to Armenia and Georgia in June, where they conceded a total of eight goals and failed to score. The CONCACAF nation is sending virtually a second-string team this time though, with their top players unable to join due to their club commitments in England, Wales, USA and other nations in the Caribbean region. Defenders Errol O'Loughlin and Thrizen Leader are among the two most experienced players in the squad, and will be two of just seven players who have featured in the senior team in the past for Mexican head coach Jacques Passy. Mauritius are ranked 160 at present, but the Africans have come to India with a team close to their strongest, including Ipswich Town midfielder Kevin Bru. Head coach Francisco Filho of Brazil has just taken charge ahead of this tournament, and brings a team that is win-less in six competitive matches since a 2-1 home win in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles in April. How did the tournament come about? The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had announced plans to unveil an annual event called the Champions Cup in April this year, with the details then saying it would involve four countries including teams from Asia, Africa and North America. AIFF have got most of the combination right, but general secretary Kushal Das confirmed to ESPN that the fourth team slated to compete this year, Afghanistan, had to pull out due to the unavailability of their top players. This also compelled the shifting of venue, from Chennai to Mumbai, and reduction in the number of games from a league-cum-knockout to a straight league system. Das, however, has assured that the two matches India play in Mumbai over the next week will both be played for FIFA ranking points, even though one of the teams they face will be effectively fielding a second-string side.
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