Jamil says Chhetri asked not to be picked for India

calcutta: Khalid Jamil said he respects Sunil Chhetri’s pick to terminate his bharat calling. The India head coach also omitted players from Mohun Bagan Super Giant because the Indian Super League double winners do not release them for preparatory camps held outside the window for international matches.

“In all my time with football, I have never seen anyone so professional. And I have seen him since he was a teenager. I have told him I will welcome him should he change his mind,” the India head coach told HT on Wednesday after leaving out Chhetri from the squad of 23 for Asian Cup qualifier away to Bangladesh on November 18.

“My practice sessions are hard but not for once did Sunil want to opt out. A senior player like him is a great example so I wanted him to be part of the rebuilding. But he said it is best that we plan without him. It is his decision and I respect that,” said Jamil over the phone from Goa where he is watching the group stages of the Super Cup.

With India out of the race to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, Chhetri, 41, had wanted to end his second stint with India, one that began last March when he was coaxed out of retirement by Jamil’s predecessor Manolo Marquez. Chhetri scored once in six matches, making it 95 goals for India, the fourth highest in men’s football, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi among active players.

“I have no doubt that Sunil can continue representing India. I think he didn’t like the continuous chatter about his age,” said Jamil, 48.

The target now is to build a new team around some senior players, said Jamil. “That is why I have kept Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu), Sandesh (Jhingan), Rahul (Bheke).” Only seven in the squad are above 25; third goalie Sahil played Asian under-17 finals in 2023.

The camp begins in Bengaluru on Thursday, and since Jamil wanted everyone to report on the first day, he left out a number of India regulars from Mohun Bagan. “Last time, I included them but they didn’t join from the start. That made our preparation difficult. For now, I have decided that players who cannot be with us from the first day will not be considered,” he said.

Jamil had called seven from Bagan for the camp for CAFA Nations Cup from August 15 but the club refused to release them because the international window began on September 1. For the Asian Cup qualifiers against Singapore last month, Bagan’s Liston Colaco, Deepak Tangri and Sahal Abdul Samad joined on September 30 after the club withdrew from the Asian Champions League 2. Subhasish Bose and Lalengmawia Ralte were called on October 11, three days before the return leg in Goa.

After four matches, India are at the bottom of Group C in the qualifiers with two points. Only the group winners will qualify for the finals in Saudi Arabia.

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