KUALA LUMPUR: Former national player Shahrom Kalam believes that the national team will not be the same without Arif Aiman Hanapi.
Arif has not been named in the list of 26 players Kim Pan Gon has called up for centralised training this week.
Faisal Halim is also absent as he is still recovering from injuries sustained in a vicious acid attack earlier this month.
The squad are preparing for their final two group D matches in the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers next month.
Shahrom said experienced players such Akhyar Rashid and Safawi Rasid will have to raise their games to make up for the duo's absence on the flanks.
"I do not think this is the final squad, some new players have been given an opportunity. For me, it is not the true national team without Arif," said Shahrom today.
"But the players who have been called up have the ability to be competitive. Pan Gon will have a plan for the matches against Taiwan and Kyrgyzstan.
"The approach and intensity of the team, however, might be different. Faisal and Arif's absence will slow us down in attack.
"But Safawi and Akhyar now have matches under their belt with Terengganu, which is a positive for us. It is time for them to shoulder the responsibility."
Harimau Malaya is set to face Kyrgyzstan on June 6 at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek before hosting Taiwan in the final group stage match at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, five days later.