A brief video on X, previously Twitter, posted by All India Football Federation exhibits Sunil Chhetri enjoying keepy-uppy. Following Chhetri utilizing his toes and thighs to maintain the ball off the bottom, the digital camera catches the obtrusive white of floodlights mixing with the mellow orange of the setting solar in Doha. The publish on the India nationwide groups’ official deal with is captioned: “What pure joy looks like.”
Chhetri is lower than seven months from his fifth decade and the oldest outfield participant within the 2024 Asian Cup, the second oldest within the competitors after Thailand goalkeeper Siwarak Tedsungnoen who will flip 40 in April. No Indian has ever performed three Asian Cup finals and no participant on this version has as many objectives, 93. At 145, he’s additionally the event’s second-most capped participant, his worldwide profession having begun in 2005. He can be a brand new dad. “You want to be with the kid and mother all the time,” he mentioned, ending a granola bar.
But he additionally “wants to do more” and is likely one of the fittest within the squad. So, the Asian Cup won’t be his last worldwide competitors. “We have got very important games against Afghanistan, Kuwait and Qatar and I will be available,” he informed HT.
India play Afghanistan in March and Kuwait and Qatar in June. That’s as lengthy Chettri is keen to consider now. “My head is not equipped to see very far.” Four years in the past, after the heartbreak towards Bahrain – “we needed a draw, they are a good side but not Japan,” Chhetri mentioned with a grimace within the Zoom name – he didn’t see himself at one other Asian Cup.
“If we weren’t in the (2026 World Cup) qualifiers, probably this would have been my last. (But) we are in with a chance to make the third round for the first time in my career. I am not trying to put pressure on myself or the team when I say this but something really drastic has to go wrong from our side for us to not be in the third round. And right now, the team needs me,” he mentioned.
India beat Kuwait away and misplaced to Qatar at dwelling within the street to the 2026 finals. They have by no means made that far within the qualifiers and for Chhetri, that could be a greater deal than enjoying in successive Asian Cup finals, additionally a primary. “For us to make the third round, it is important to give a good account in the Asian Cup. We are playing three top teams. Okay, Syria are good but Uzbekistan and Australia are top teams,” Chhetri mentioned. “It will be a good way of testing ourselves.”
India begin towards former champions Australia on Saturday. The goal has been set. “We want to have the biggest underdogs’ result in the first game. No one, not even your friends, is giving you a chance. Imagine, if you get a result against Australia, that is something you are going to die with,” mentioned Chhetri.
India started in 2019 with a 4-1 win towards Thailand – their largest margin of win within the finals – however completed final within the group after slender defeats to UAE and Bahrain. “If I have to get three points this time too, I would want three draws,” mentioned Chhetri.
Chhetri is the one connection between the groups who additionally met on this competitors in 2011. Most of India’s 2011 roster had been on the verge of retirement and being again within the finals after 27 years, skinny on event expertise of this degree. This squad has 9 who performed in 2019. But for Chhetri, entry to info is the largest distinction between the 2 squads.
“Anyone in this squad will name the 11 who played Bahrain (Australia won the friendly 2-0 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday). Our analyst has already made the clips and sent to us. They will tell you the first 11 Australia used against Palestine, about the threat from corner-kicks. That doesn’t make the game easier but it does make you more prepared. Bob (Houghton, India coach in 2011) tried but such details were not available to us then.”
But preparation for 2011 was practically a 12 months lengthy with coaching camps in Portugal, UAE and Thailand. This time head coach Igor Stimac acquired lower than two weeks. A four-week camp would have been ultimate, mentioned Chhetri. “And a friendly against, just throwing a name, Iran and maybe Iraq. If you had played Iran, you would know the tempo expected from Australia. Right now, all the boys are used to the tempo of the ISL. Playing Australia will be a different level altogether.”
An official photo-shoot known as which means it was time to wind up. Asked concerning the modifications Stimac introduced since becoming a member of in 2019, Chhetri first referred to the big pool of gamers tried out within the first two years. “Our levels fluctuated and I didn’t like it. I told him and he said, ‘trust my process.’” Even as gamers understood the coach, nobody can say he didn’t get alternatives, mentioned Chhetri. “So, the dressing room was built on trust.”
Once Stimac recognized the core, he struck to it which is why Chhetri mentioned he didn’t see too many modifications until June. Players have additionally matured within the time Stimac has been coach, he mentioned, mentioning Lallianzuala Chhangte, Suresh Wangjam, Anwar Ali and Jeakson Singh (the final two are out of the Asian Cup with harm).
India additionally attempt extra passes and play fewer lengthy balls, a minimum of towards some groups. “We lost a lot of battles by lumping the ball,” Chhetri mentioned with a smile. It has helped that some India gamers have been given extra accountability to take care of the ball at their golf equipment, he mentioned.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
