Chhetri’s omission: A question of answers

If this is the end, the talismanic striker as well as rest of India deserve to know that

- Dhiman Sarkar

At 10.44pm on Independence Day it became clear that Sunil Chhetri will not figure in Khalid Jamil's plans for the CAFA Nations Cup, the new India head coach's first assignment beginning later this month.

The media release from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) listing the 22 who had joined the preparatory camp in Bengaluru was posted in the journalists’ WhatsApp group late on Friday. It had to be read with an earlier social media post from AIFF that named the 13 who were yet to report to understand that Jamil is looking beyond the talisman who turned 41 on August 3.

In the absence of any kind of announcement regarding Chhetri’s unavailability, it will have to be assumed that the India captain has been dropped. Which would be a rare thing in the 20-year international career of a player who has the most international goals (95) after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi among active players.