India’s preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 have suffered a late setback with experienced midfielder Anju Tamang being ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
The development comes just days before the start of India’s campaign in Australia and has prompted a change in the Blue Tigresses’ 26-member squad, with forward Karishma Shirvoikar being drafted in as her replacement.
Tamang, who at 30 was the most senior and experienced player in the squad, sustained the injury during the final phase of the team’s preparation. Her absence represents a significant loss for the Indian setup, particularly given her positional versatility and role within the squad structure. Over the course of her international career, Tamang has successfully transitioned across multiple roles on the pitch from forward to wing-back and eventually into central midfield offering the coaching staff tactical flexibility during matches.
Her ability to operate across different phases of play allowed India to adapt to varying match situations without the need for personnel changes. In recent international outings, Tamang had often dropped deeper to initiate transitions and contribute to India’s build-up play, making her an important link between defence and attack.
During the qualification campaign in 2025, Tamang played a key role in India securing their place in the continental tournament. She contributed a goal and two assists in the victory over Timor-Leste, underlining her influence in decisive matches. Her return to the starting lineup earlier this month after a brief injury scare had been viewed as a positive development for India’s rhythm heading into the tournament.
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The injury, however, has now forced the team management to make a last-minute adjustment to the squad composition. With Tamang’s withdrawal creating an experience gap in midfield, captain Sweety Devi Ngangbam and senior forward Grace Dangmei are expected to shoulder additional leadership responsibilities within the group.
In response to the setback, the coaching staff has opted to bring in Karishma Shirvoikar, a forward who currently represents Sribhumi FC at the domestic level. Unlike a like-for-like midfield replacement, Shirvoikar offers a different tactical profile, characterised by pace and attacking movement in the final third.
Shirvoikar’s rise through the domestic football structure has been notable in recent seasons. A product of the Goa football ecosystem and the Vedanta Women’s League, she has consistently demonstrated the ability to impact games in attacking areas. During Phase 1 of the 2025–26 Indian Women’s League, she was among the standout performers for her club, contributing three goals and playing a role in key attacking sequences.
Her inclusion adds depth to an attacking unit that already features players such as Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa and Dangmei Grace. In domestic competitions, Shirvoikar has previously linked effectively with national team regulars, including Dangmei and Rimpa Haldar, offering India an additional option in forward areas.
The decision to introduce an attacking player in place of a central midfielder may influence India’s tactical approach in the upcoming tournament fixtures. The forward line now provides the team with greater scope to stretch opposition defences, particularly during transition phases.
India have been drawn in Group C of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, where they will face Vietnam, Japan and Chinese Taipei. The team will begin their campaign against Vietnam in Perth before taking on Japan at the same venue. Their final group-stage fixture will be played against Chinese Taipei in Sydney.
Having secured qualification for the tournament on merit for the first time since the current qualification format was introduced in 2006, India enter the competition following a strong showing in the qualifiers, where they scored 24 goals and conceded just once across four matches.
The upcoming continental event also serves as the final Asia-Pacific qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, adding further significance to India’s participation.
While the loss of Anju Tamang represents a late challenge to the squad’s balance, the inclusion of Karishma Shirvoikar provides the team with an alternative attacking dimension as preparations continue ahead of their opening fixture in Australia.
