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An ominous cloud of uncertainty wrapped around Indian football as Sunil Chhetri, who has carried the expectations of millions with a humble smile for almost two decades, announced on Thursday that the FIFA World Cup match against Kuwait will be his last for the Blue Tigers. The conjecture surrounding the inevitable retirement of India's eternal talisman has been part of many arousing coffee-table conversations, but the realization of it eventually unfolding is still to settle in.
Jeje Lalpekhlua, a bulldozer of a marksman himself and Chhetri's strike partner for close to a decade, reflected on the gaping hole the seven-team AIFF Player of the Year winner's departure will have on the country's footballing landscape.
"It's difficult to imagine Indian football without Sunil Chhetri. The first time I watched the national team was in the 2007 Nehru Cup at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, and from then to now his name has lived on in Indian football. To imagine we'll not see his name on the scoresheet for the national team after a few weeks is difficult," the former national team striker echoed during an exclusive conversation with Sportskeeda.
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"I respect his decision, but the gap his absence will leave behind is huge. All the guys in the national team will now have to stand up and fight and show a lot more fight. For all these years he strived to take the country forward but to maintain India's standards and even push it forward, the new generation will have to put in plenty of hard work," he continued.
Right from the time Jeje broke into the national team setup in 2011, his telepathic connection with Chhetri enchantingly emerged. Ghostly runs to create space for the other, deft passes to their partner, and a bonding that transcended the boundaries of the pitch made the duo almost unplayable on their day.
Where did it all begin? The former Chennaiyin FC forward weighed in
"When I first joined the senior national team in 2011 and Bob Houghton was the coach, we were playing a match in Malaysia that's when I met him. Even during training, I could see that we had a great understanding with each other. Our first game was against Chinese Taipei in the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers, it was my first game for the national team. I even scored my first goal and it was Sunil who assisted me.
"Since then, as long as we shared the pitch our mutual understanding just kept on growing. Whenever he used to get the ball, I just knew what I had to do. Even he knew the same, and we didn't even need to look at each other. He helped me a lot off the field too. I was still young when I joined the national team and there was a lot of pressure, and he helped me become who I am right now and what I achieved in football. For that, I'll always be grateful to him."
Jeje Lalpekhlua picks his most memorable moment on the pitch with Sunil Chhetri
For the majority of the night in Bengaluru on June 13, 2017, the Kyrgyz Republic were rollicking, juggling possession with absolute control. But the years of understanding that Jeje Lalpekhlua and Sunil Chhetri had nurtured, crescendoed onto the pitch when the striking partners stitched together a visceral display of counter-attacking football.
Chhetri with his usual darting run down the middle, disturbed the stability of the Krygyz backline before feeding the ball to the Mizo Sniper. Jeje, with all of his composure oozing out, chipped the ball towards his partner, who thumped it into the net with a first-time volley. For India, it turned out to be a monumental victory as they eventually sealed a berth in their maiden Asian Cup.
During the conversation with Sportskeeda, Jeje highlighted this match as one of the many instances of the euphoric highs he shared on the pitch with the Chhetri.
"On the pitch, there have been plenty of memorable moments, all the matches we won together, all the goals we scored. The goal we scored against Kyrgyzstan in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifier on the counter-attack, stands out for me because they were a quality opposition and we had to win that match. But pointing out one match or moment is a little difficult, we fought for so many years together for the country."
Jeje Lalpekhlua reveals the advice Sunil Chhetri gave him back in 2011 that he still thinks about
Sunil Chhetri's enigma in Indian football is not contained within his unheard-of numbers and towering accolades, but it was built on utter professionalism and humility that shone through. The Padma Shri awardee was a guiding light for many youngsters who broke into the national team over the last two decades.
An arm around a shoulder when he most need it, makes a difference. And Chhetri was all about making a difference. Lalpekhlua reminisced on advice his national team partner had given him back in 2011, which he still holds close.
"I had suffered an injury in 2011 while playing in the I-League. After just completing my recovery I was called for a national team camp, and I was sharing a room with him. So one day we had come back from practice, and Sunil saw me sitting and asked, 'What happened? Why do you look down?' I tried to avoid the conversation initially. But then I told him that because of the injury I couldn't train that well, wasn't getting enough game time, and I was feeling dejected."
"He told me, 'See, if you have a problem, no one else can help you, only you can fight and achieve it.' From that day onwards how I addressed my problems or any difficulty in life completely changed. Whatever happens in life, your parents, family members, or friends everyone can support you, but only you can make a difference. I often think of it even now, so many years later," Jeje, who himself pulled down the curtain on his professional career last year, narrated.
What makes Sunil Chhetri the legend of Indian football he is today? Jeje Lalpekhlua answers
Mediocrity has often dictated Indian football, but Chhetri always seemed like an anomaly. Even when he could back down and stop daring without anyone raising an eyebrow, Sunil Chhetri smirked and asked, 'Why not?' At 39, he still reigns as a supreme competitor on the pitch and one of the bright sparks in the country's flailing attack.
Where does the insuppressible fighting spirit come from?
"Whether it's training or even some games we are playing for fun, he would be so competitive and serious. Table tennis, carrom, ludo, or anything else, he always wanted to win. His mentality was always of a winner. That's what I loved about him and also learned from him. Because of this even when we were playing for the national team and were faced with defeat, we could fight back from that place and win," Jeje answered.
The Mizo sniper urged the aspiring Indian footballers to dissect and soak in Chhetri's persona on and off the pitch.
"Every youngster must follow how he used to behave on and off the field, how disciplined he still is, how he maintains his body, his diet, everything."
While jogging down the memory lanes, Jeje stumbled upon another singular talent the Arjuna Award winner had apart from the obvious otherworldly footballing acumen.
"He had his unique ability to fall asleep anytime and anywhere. When we were room partners, we might be talking to each other and suddenly I would see he had fallen asleep. That was an amazing thing (laughs). He would say he wanted to sleep and fall asleep then and there," he quipped.
Jeje Lalpekhlua on the future on Indian strikers and his request to Sunil Chhetri
The question 'Who after Sunil Chhetri?' has been debated and deliberated over for almost half a decade; many a players popped up as possible answer to the ominous question and many disappeared. But now, Indian football stands at the crucial juncture of zooming in on an apparent answer.
The former Mohun Bagan striker reaffirmed what many, including Chhetri in his retirement announcement video on social media, have pointed out in the past - the lack of opportunities for Indian forwards in the country's top-tier league. But Jeje highlighted a few up-and-comers who possess the potential to stand up the task.
"Right now in the Indian Super League, there's no position for Indian players in the Number 9 position, but if you see the I-League, David [Lalhlansanga] from Mohammadan scored a lot of goals, and Lalrinzuala [Lalbiaknia] from Aizawl FC is the top Indian scorer so I think they could get an opportunity."
"I don't think anyone can replace Sunil Chhetri in Indian football, but players like Rahim Ali or Manvir Singh who will play in his position will have to put in a lot of hard work. But it's a great opportunity for these young players to study what Chhetri did and try to emulate his success," he averred.
Before concluding the interview, his long-time strike partner had a request for the Indian footballing icon; and if their glorious time on the pitch is anything to go by - Sunil Chhetri always delivers when Jeje Lalpekhlua asks.
"I want to request him that even when he stops playing football completely, he shouldn't leave football. I want to see him as a coach or any other role related to football. Because his experience and his understanding of the areas where Indian football is struggling is invaluable."
