Lebanon, who had to defeat the Maldives in a two-leg play-off to gain entry to Thursday’s Asian Cup qualification draw in Doha, were the only team seeded below India, suggesting that the slumbering South Asian giants will struggle to make the grade in Group D, where they have be pooled with Malaysia, the UAE, and in form Uzbekistan.

The Uzbeks and the UAE are the likely top two candidates from the group and while the Arab side will not have forgotten the tough time they had against the Indians during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers when India won 1-0 in Bangalore before losing the return fixture by the same score line, Bob Houghton’s charges are expected to be battling Malaysia to avoid the wooden spoon.

But failing to claim a top two finish in Group D might not have an impact on the Asian Cup dream of India, who have not taken part in the final stages of the AFC’s flagship tournament since 1988.

The new competition format allows a place in the 2011 Asian Cup finals for the winners of the 2008 and 2010 AFC Challenge Cups and with India set to host both these events, home advantage could see them claim some rare silverware and book their place at the continental soccer showcase in Qatar.

The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup begins on July 30 in Hyderabad, where the hosts have been drawn to face Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, with DPR Korea, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka also participating in the eight-team tournament.