Sunil Chhetri has been one of the most consistent performer for the Indian national team for a long time. But, India have lacked another proper goalscorer who has scored consistently and eased India's dependence on Chhetri.
The experienced star has contributed goals galore for India and even at his not-so-young age of 34, he has rarely missed matches. The likes of Jeje Lalpekhlua and Balwant Singh have all stepped up but have not been leading the team independently.
The last time India played a game without Chhetri in the lineup, excluding the games against SAFF nations, was when they faced Jordan in a friendly before the 2019 Asian Cup.