India U15 suffered a 4-1 defeat against Qatar U15 in a friendly at Aspire Pitch 13 on October 13, raising questions about the team's preparations ahead of the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan.

Match Facts

The result comes as India prepare for the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan later this month.

The tournament will feature an 8v8 format, with matches played over two 20-minute halves on smaller pitches measuring 68 metres by 50 metres.

Should AIFF Have Given Ranjit Bajaj the Responsibility?

The defeat has renewed questions over the All India Football Federation's decision to appoint Bibiano Fernandes instead of handing greater technical responsibility to Minerva Academy founder Ranjit Bajaj.

Fernandes has an established record with India's youth national teams, but his experience has primarily come in 11v11 football.

The smaller format demands quicker decision-making, aggressive pressing, constant movement and the ability to exploit limited space.

Bajaj's Minerva Academy have years of experience competing in international youth tournaments, including small-sided competitions.

The AIFF initially approved Bajaj as team manager, but he declined the position following disagreements over the responsibilities and structure of the coaching setup.

With only a short preparation period available, adapting players to a different format was always going to be challenging.

The question is not whether Bibiano Fernandes is a capable youth coach, but whether the AIFF made the right decision for a tournament requiring specialised preparation.

India's defeat against Qatar is only one result, but it has raised concerns over whether the team received enough time and the right technical preparation ahead of the tournament.