The Indian Men’s Football Team will have to make do without star striker Sunil Chhetri for the upcoming friendly matches later this month in Bahrain.  Chhetri picked up a few injuries during the Hero ISL 2021-22 season, which made him incapable of joining his teammates for the friendly games. However, he aims to recover as quickly as possible and join the preparatory camp for the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, which is set for May later this year.

In an interview with aiff.com, Chhetri said, “I was really looking forward to the two friendlies against Bahrain 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.“

The Indian National Team is up for a couple of international friendly matches in Bahrain, which will serve as their warm-up before the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Kolkata, later this year. Croatian football manager Igor Stimac revealed a 38-member players list for the prep camp (the list includes Chhetri), which will start on March 10 in Pune.

The team is scheduled to fly to Bahrain on March 21 and play the hosts on March 23, and then a match against Belarus on March 26. Chhetri, despite his absence, is confident that his team will do well in the international friendlies.

“The potential this squad possesses is immense, and a lot of the lads are riding high on confidence on the back of good performances in the League season,”  Chhetri said. “I’m certain we’ll put our best foot forward. I’m wishing the team all the luck,” added the Bengaluru FC footballer.”