Sunil Chhetri to miss Bahrain trip with injury

Sunil Chhetri will not be joining be the Indian national team camp in Pune on March 10 as he is nursing a few small injuries.

"I was really looking forward to the two friendlies against Baharain and Belarus and it's a shame I'll be missing out. It's been a long, tough season and I've suffered a few small injuries that need time to heal. I will be doing all I can to recover in time for the predatory camp in May," Sunil mentioned to AIFF (All India Football Federation).

"The potential in this squad is immense, and a lot of the lads are riding high on confidence on the back of good performances in the League season. I'm certain we'll put out best foot forward. I'm wishing the team all the luck," he added.
Moreover, Ashique Kuruniyan will also miss the national camp as he is undergoing rehab.

The Indian skipper had missed two friendlies in 2021 as well against Oman and UAE respectively due to Covid-19. However, he made a comeback in the 2022 World Cup/2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in June and helped India progress to the third round of the Asian Cup qualification.

Chhetri also played a crucial role in India's SAFF Championship triumph in October 2021 as he scored five goals in five matches. Now he is once again set to miss the two friendlies that the Blue Tigers are scheduled to play against Bahrain and Belarus on March 23 and 26 respectively.