All Whites v India live updates: International friendly

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As it turns out, Darren Bazeley’ final All Whites squad is also one of most intriguing of his tenure. Off the back of last week’s news last that his head coach contract would not…

Live updates of the football international between the All Whites and India.

As it turns out, Darren Bazeley’ final All Whites squad is also one of most intriguing of his tenure.

Off the back of last week’s news last that his head coach contract would not be extended, on Tuesday Bazeley named the group to face India in Auckland and Christchurch next week. There are three new faces – and potential debutants – and 14 players drawn from the A-League, the most in recent memory.

Balancing that out is the names that are missing, with eight starters from the Fifa World Cup not making the trip, including big names like Elijah Just, Marko Stamenic, Libby Cacace and Joe Bell.But others are back, with Matt Garbett returning for the first time since the injury that ruled him out days before the start of the World Cup, while influential centre back Finn Surman is also there, after not featuring in the recent tour to China and Japan.

“It was challenging and a little bit different,” Bazeley told the Herald. “From talking to players individually, a lot of them felt pressure to come back because they wanted to be part of my last window. But ultimately, I said to them all, ‘We will do what’s right and we’ll support you…it’s not about me’.

The uncapped players are the Wellington Phoenix trio of Corban Piper, Nathan Walker and Matt Sheridan.

“Those are always the nicest phone calls,” Bazeley said. “Often you have to let players down in this job and so to bring people in on debut, it’s a privilege.”

It’s a reward for the eye catching start to the season by the capital club, though they have all been on the radar. Sheridan and Walker have previously represented New Zealand at age-group level, though it will be Piper’s first taste of international activity.

“He has moved around positionally he looks like he’s settled up front,” Bazeley said of Piper. “He’s a handful, works tremendously hard and he’s a goal threat.

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