Chhetri has played for India 142 times and has scored 92 goals, the most by an Indian. He is also currently the third most prolific scorer in international football among active players, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
While there is no imminent threat to the AFC Asian Cup participation by the senior men's team in late 2023 or early 2024, some of the games slated for clubs and age-group national teams in the next few months could well be a tricky terrain.
Indian gymnast Dipa Karmarkar, on Saturday, claimed a bronze medal at the vault event on the third day of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cottbus, Germany.
Asian Games gold medallist Manjit Singh, who doesn't have a regular job, on Tuesday requested the sports ministry to include him in the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme to prepare for the upcoming big events like the 2020 Tokyo Games
The stunning performance earned Parul her second medal in Hangzhou after claiming a silver in the women's 3000m Steeplechase on Monday.
Bantamweight boxer Shiva Thapa put up an impressive show against Chinese Taipei's Li Lin Yen to book his place in the quarter-finals of the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's team totalled 337 to take home the silver medal behind China's Qingnian Li, Cuicui Wu and Xinqiu Zhang, who combined to shoot a world and games record score of 357 to finish on top of the podium.
The Indians started brightly and earned a couple of penalty corners and from one such situation, Sharmila Devi gave her side the lead in the 13th minute, scoring from a rebound after Gurjit Kaur's initial flick was saved by the Chinese defence.
"I simply want Japan to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany," Japan's most recognisable player said on his website.
He was clearly disappointed to miss out the Indian Open title, but star Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on Sunday said "losing is better than winning always" and hoped the defeat in the final will spur him and his doubles partner Chirag Shetty to win a bigger crown in coming days.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) remains hopeful of organising the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in November despite the coronavirus pandemic causing cancellation and postponement of top sporting events, throwing international schedules haywire. The optimism stems from the seven months' time that the organising committee has at its disposal to prepare for the top age-group tournament.
Playing with ten debutants, India came back strongly in the second half to eke out a draw in their first international game since the COVID-19 lockdown last March.
Jyothika said the Indian women's relay team can hope for a medal in the 2028 Olympics.
I M Vijayan is amazed at Indian football's leap from amateurism to professionalism.
New Zealand are placed in Group B along with Turkey, Paraguay and Mali.
The Azlan Shah Cup is the latest sporting event to be hit by the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed more than 3,000 lives and infected 86,000 people across the world.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Aruna Budda Reddy today created history by becoming the first Indian gymnast to win an individual medal at the Gymnastics World Cup as she clinched a bronze in the women's vault event in Melbourne.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Yokohama beat Shandong to book Asian Champions League last 16 berth
Indian football saw a big jump in the FIFA rankings on Thursday, rising 24 places to go up to 147 spot.
Japan beat Singapore to preserve their all-win record in the Asian 2006 World Cup qualifiers.
Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri feels that his club making it to the summit clash of the AFC Cup heralds a beginning in the revival of Indian football. Bengaluru take on Iraq's Al Quwa Al Jawiya in Saturday's final at the Qatar SC Stadium in Doha. "Bengaluru reaching the AFC Cup final in the host country of the 2022 World Cup, and hopefully winning it, has signaled the beginning of the revival of Indian football as an Asian power," said Chhetri who is also the India captain.
India's Deepika Kumari and Anikita Bhakat won the gold and silver medals respectively in the women's individual recurve event of the 21st Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok on Thursday.
'I need mental conditioning and support staff to deal with the mental aspect.'
Ace Indian archer Deepika Kumar shrugged off her poor run of form by clinching gold medal in the women's recurve event at the World Cup (Stage-3) in Salt Lake City.
National coach Bob Houghton termed India's AFC Challenge Cup victory as the culmination of a determined effort by his charges and the football establishment to reach the Asian elite stage. By winning Asia's second tier tournament after a 4-1 thrashing of defending champions Tajikistan, India qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup. Houghton said his charges were the deserving winners.
Manu Bhaker claimed the gold medal in the women's 10am air pistol, while birthday boy Deepak Kumar gifted himself a bronze medal in men's 10m air rifle at the 14th Asian Championship.
India suffered their second defeat in three matches in the Asian zone Group 3 first round, losing 0-7 in Saitama, Japan.
India's Avinash Sable qualified for the final of the men's 3000m steeplechase under dramatic circumstances after he initially failed to make the cut despite bettering his own national record in an eventful race in the World Championships.
Two-time Olympic-medallist P V Sindhu made a winning return from a lengthy injury lay-off as India stunned formidable China 3-2 in the women's competition of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Shah Alam, Malaysia on Wednesday.
Mary was back in her preferred 48kg category as she overcame the challenge from younger competitors to make it to the Indian team for the marquee continental event, which is to be held from November 2 to November 11 in the Ho Chi Minh City.
The Indian women's hockey team will return to the Olympics after a long gap of 36 years as it qualified for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday, after England made it to the final of the ongoing EuroHockey Championships in London.
Laggards in international rankings, India finally made their presence felt by pulling off an impressive under-17 World Cup that drew all-round praise even though the country was eliminated in the very first round.
Praggnanandhaa said just talking to the Indian chess wizard (Anand) boosts his confidence.
Gymnast Dipa Karmakar would be aiming to put behind the injury-marred disaster that was the Asian Games when she aims for a positive start to her Olympic qualification bid with the World Cup of Artistic Gymnastics.
World soccer's ruling body added that the decision had been taken following a meeting between its President Gianni Infantino and PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir.
Rahi Sarnobat, on Wednesday, became the first Indian woman shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal as she triumphed after prevailing in a double shoot-off in the 25m pistol event in Palembang.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
As per ICC rule, every team has to submit its initial squad of 15 by September 5 but the final submission can be done by September 27
