ISL 2020-21: Sunil Chhetri ISL Team and Statistics

It was the summer of 2005. The Indian national football team had arrived for a bilateral football series with Pakistan in Quetta, Balochistan. India were to take on the hosts in a packed fixture at Ayub Stadium, Quetta.

When the hosts prepared for the likes of Abhishek Yadav, Clifford Miranda and Climax Lawrence, it was the short kid from Secunderabad who helped India draw first blood on his international debut.

Chhetri attempted a one-two with substitute Abdul Hakkim. The ball tumbled to Climax Lawrence, who went for a shot. However, the attempt got deflected off Tanveer Ahmed into Chhetri's way. The youthful forward spun around in a split second and shot low past Jaffar Khan's reach.

15 years later, Sunil Chhetri has 72 official international goals in 115 games for the Indian national team. The achievement has made him the world's second-highest active international goal-scorer after Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

With the Indian Super League in its seventh season, the 36-year-old Sunil Chhetri faces a unique challenge. After playing for eleven clubs over a period of 18 years, Chhetri is in the twilight of his professional career. He is also the current highest Indian goal-scorer of the league.

Let us have a look at Sunil Chhetri's Indian Super League stats and figures so far (till 2019-20 season).

Sunil Chhetri Statistics in the Indian Super League

Sunil Chhetri made his Indian Super League debut for Mumbai City FC against Chennaiyin FC in October 2015. Chhetri missed the 2014 Indian Super League season as Bengaluru FC did not release their players for their AFC Cup campaign. Sunil Chhetri scored his first Indian Super League goal in the very next game against Delhi Dynamos FC in a 2-0 win. He scored 7 goals in 11 games in the 2015 ISL season for Mumbai City FC including a hat-trick against NorthEast United FC. It made him the first Indian to score a hat-trick in the ISL.

Sunil Chhetri was irrepressible in the reverse fixture. Can he be the difference tonight? #MumbaiMeriJaan pic.twitter.com/GcDus52G6x

— Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) November 20, 2015

Sunil Chhetri played just 6 games in the 2015-16 ISL season for Mumbai City FC due to his stint with Bengaluru FC in the AFC Cup. After two seasons with Mumbai City FC, he joined Bengaluru FC on a permanent deal in the 2017-18 ISL when the Blues moved to the cash-rich tournament from the I-League. Chhetri played 22 games, scored 14 goals and helped Bengaluru FC finish runners-up in the season.

In his second season for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League, he played 19 games, scored 9 goals and made 3 assists. The Bengaluru FC side led by Sunil Chhetri went on to become ISL 2018-19 champions, courtesy a Rahul Bheke header in the final against FC Goa.

Chhetri continued his goal-scoring form in the 2019-20 ISL season as well. He played 17 games and scored 9 goals. However, due to lack of support in attack for the national team captain, the Blues finished third in the league and saw their first-ever trophyless season since their foundation in 2013.

Sunil Chhetri and Miku formed an exceptional pair for Bengaluru FC in their debut ISL season.

Sunil Chhetri Indian Super League Statistics at a glance

2015 Indian Super League (Mumbai City FC) - Games Played: 11, Goals Scored: 7, Assists: 0

2016 Indian Super League (Mumbai City FC) - Games Played: 6, Goals Scored: 0, Assists: 0

2017-18 Indian Super League (Bengaluru FC) - Games Played: 14, Goals Scored: 14, Assists: 8

2018-19 Indian Super League (Bengaluru FC) - Games Played: 19, Goals Scored: 9, Assists: 3

2019-20 Indian Super League (Bengaluru FC) - Games Played: 17, Goals Scored: 9, Assists: 0

Overall Indian Super League Stats - Games Played: 67, Goals Scored: 39, Assists: 11