Crispin Chettri is back in charge of the Indian women’s national team, restored to the head coach’s role just months after being replaced and on the eve of a crucial international window.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed his reappointment on Tuesday, handing him the reins again as India prepare in Nairobi for the FIFA Series 2026 Kenya.
A swift change of course, and a clear message.
From Replaced to Recalled
Chettri’s return comes at the expense of Amelia Valverde, whose brief spell with India has already run its course. Valverde took over in January, stepping into the role that Chettri had held, but her tenure never truly settled.
The turning point came at the AFC Women's Asian Cup earlier this year. India’s long-awaited return to the continental stage — their first appearance in more than 20 years — ended in disappointment. No wins. A group-stage exit. A campaign that promised renewal instead underlined how far the team still has to climb.
Last month, the AIFF Technical Committee drew its own conclusion and chose not to extend Valverde’s contract. The search for stability led straight back to a familiar face.
Chettri’s Second Act
Chettri is no stranger to this group. Appointed in February last year, he guided India through the qualifiers for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, laying down the early foundations for the next competitive cycle.
Now he returns with little time for sentiment. India are already in Nairobi, and the schedule will not wait. For the upcoming friendly tournament under the FIFA Series banner, Chettri has named a 22-member squad, a working core he will need to sharpen quickly.
The assignment is simple but unforgiving: restore belief, rebuild structure, and show that India’s setback in Australia was a stumble, not a ceiling.
New-Look Backroom Team
Behind him, the support staff also carries a sense of intent.
Sujata Kar, recently honoured as the 2025 AIFF Women’s Coach of the Year, steps in as assistant coach. Her rise through the domestic coaching ranks has been steady and impressive, and her appointment signals a push to blend experience with fresh tactical ideas around the national setup.
Fysal K Bapu joins as goalkeeping coach, tasked with tightening a critical department at international level, where a single mistake often decides the narrative of an entire window.
Together, they form a rebuilt bench, one that knows it cannot ease into this cycle. The tests begin immediately, in Kenya, under the global spotlight of the FIFA Series.
Chettri has his second chance. The question now is whether this return can finally turn India’s promise into a sustained presence on the Asian stage.
