CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The moment Sunil Chhetri got up from his chair, the jam-packed press conference room at the Salt Lake Stadium rose in unison and gave a standing ovation to the captain.
This was his last pre-match news conference as a India player. Thursday will be his final match in India colours. “Inside me, I’m fighting a small battle,” Chhetri said moments after arriving for the news conference.
Thursday’s World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait is a crucial match for India as a victory will put them on the brink of qualifying for the third round from Group A. On the other hand, a defeat will put them out of the reckoning.
If India succeed in doing that, it will be a first. Also in March, coach Igor Stimac had said if India failed to advance he would resign. No wonder the Croat termed Thursday’s clash “the most important match of my life.”
India, 121 in Fifa rankings, had beaten the west Asian country in Kuwait City in the first leg in November last year. That was one of the memorable performances under Stimac, but India frittered it away with a string of poor results in the AFC Asian Cup and the World Cup Qualifiers.
The lowest moment was the 2-1 home defeat to Afghanistan in Guwahati in March. It was Chhetri’s 150th match and got his goal No. 94.
Now as he gets ready for the final shot, all that Chhetri wants is a victory and he is not bothered about what the margin would be and who could be the scorer.
