Pune: Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh did Pune FC proud after being named captain of the India Under-23 team for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation Under-23 Championship (Qualifiers) which kick off in Dhaka, Bangladesh from March 27.

The twenty-two-year-old thus became the only second-ever Pune FC player to lead the country at any level. Previously ex-Pune FC striker Jeje Lalpekhlua led India U22 at the AFC U22 Championships Qualifiers in Muscat.

The 23-member squad announced by the National body (AIFF) boasts of three Pune FC players with Kolhapur-born local boy Nikhil Kadam and striker Thongkhosiem Haokip being the other.

Amrinder first joined the Peninsula Pune FC Academy in 2011 in the Under-19 team. The young Punjabi impressed the coaching staff and was also included in the senior team the same season as a third choice goalkeeper. In fact, he made his first senior appearance in the 2011 Federation Cup.

The youngster was even part of the historic 2011-12 U20 I-League winning team before being fully inducted into the senior set up the following season. After filling in as a second choice keeper on multiple occasions, Amrinder cemented his place as the number one goalkeeper in 2013-14 season and has continued to impress at various levels.

At the international level, Amrinder was recently a part of the India U23 team at the Asian Games held in Seoul earlier this season and was even called up to the senior national team for the friendlies against Bangladesh (Mar 2014) and Palestine (Oct 2014).

Meanwhile, India is clubbed with hosts Bangladesh, Syria and Uzbekistan in Group-E and play Uzbekistan in their first match on March 27 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.