Big blow for India as Robin Singh is set to miss rest of SAFF Cup

"Yesterday's (December 28) MRI revealed that his knee problem is a bit more serious than we had expected. The doctors have advised us that he will need 10 days of rest before undergoing another MRI. It's a blow and a loss for us. He had started to score for the national team on the regular basis and is such a hard working guy," India's coach Stephen Constantine was quoted as saying by IANS.

The 25-year-old picked up the injury while scoring his second goal in the opening game. Initially, it was perceived as a minor injury, with Constantine resting the striker during their 4-1 win over Nepal on December 27.

The Delhi Dynamos striker has been in good form recently, and his winner against Guam on November 12, handed over the national team their first win in the World Cup Qualifiers. SAFF Cup guidelines will also not allow India to replace the forward for the upcoming semi-final game, which means Constantine will now have 19 players in the squad – three of whom are goalkeepers. (Read: Lallianzuala Chhangte – ‘the new kid on the block in Indian football’)