Sunil Chhetri available for India again

Sunil Chhetri available for India again

Sunil Chhetri available for India again ByHT Correspondent Mar 06, 2025 11:21 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Sunil Chhetri will rejoin Indian squad for friendlies against Maldives and Bangladesh

Kolkata: Sunil Chhetri has agreed to Manolo Marquez’s request and decided to come out of international retirement. The former India captain will be available for the friendly against Maldives and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh later this month.

Sunil Chhetri will play the friendly against Maldives and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh later this month. (Getty Images)

“The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March,” the national team posted on social media late on Thursday.

“Maybe all goodbyes are just an, “’I’ll see you soon in disguise’,” Chettri’s club Bengaluru FC posted in X. It was reposted by the national team’s handle.

No further details were provided. Chhetri did not return calls seeking a reaction or reply to text messages from HT.

Soon after the announcement on social media, All India Football Federation (AIFF) said head coach Marquez has included Chhetri in the 26-player squad for the matches later this month. India play Maldives on February 19 and Bangladesh on March 25. Both matches will be in Shillong.

“The qualification for the Asian Cup is very crucial for us. Given the importance of the tournament and the matches ahead, I discussed with Sunil Chhetri about making a comeback to strengthen the National Team. He agreed, and so we have included him in the squad,” Marquez was quoted as saying in AIFF’s media release.

In the on-going Indian Super League (ISL), Chhetri has scored 12 goals and made two assists. ISL11 has been his most productive season since 2017-18 when he had 14 goals and two assists.

Chhetri, 40, had retired from playing for India after the 2027 Asian Cup and 2026 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait here on June 6. India finished the match at a packed Salt Lake stadium 0-0. It meant Chhetri had ended with 94 goals in 151 internationals following a career that began against Pakistan in 2005.

It put him third among active players on the international goalscorers’ list behind Cristiano Ronaldo (135 goals) and Lionel Messi (112). And fourth overall with Ali Daei (108).

Chhetri’s last goal was from a penalty against Afghanistan which India lost 1-2 at home in March 2024. With that strike he had achieved the unique distinction of scoring in his first, 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, 125th and 150th international matches.

“The mind tells me, “you did the right thing” but the kid in me says “one more game, one more camp.” That is a fight I have at least once a day,” Chhetri had told HT in an interview on May 16, 2024, the day he had announced his retirement.

Chhetri has been India’s go-to player for goals for long, the problem becoming more acute after Jeje Lalpekhlua’s career was derailed by injury in 2019. India played five matches after Chettri’s retirement and scored three goals. They ended 2024 without a win in 11 matches, a first in 10 years.