Fare thee well, Sunil Chhetri

With arms outstretched he stood before a sea of adoring fans capturing their hearts within the expansive embrace of the giant Kanteerava Stadium In that fleeting moment Sunil Chhetri wielded an invisible force over the amassed ranks of Indian fans as if he cast a spellThen like the breaking of a dam euphoria cascaded through the stadium The stands quivered and dissolved into a tumult of exultation a cacophony of joy relief and validation reverberating throughout the colossal arenaOn the field Chhetri was engulfed by his jubilant teammates the culmination of not just scoring a sublime freekick but orchestrating its genesis conjuring it with the finesse of a master craftsman that he really is Finally he had achieved his objective securing Indias ticket to the AFC Asian Cup for a record fifth time18 years and 94 international goals prior a youthful Chhetri aged 20 found himself limping amidst the jeers of 20000 fervent Pakistani fans at the Ayub National Stadium in Quetta Undeterred by adversity it was his debut for India a moment he refused to let slip by without a bid for gloryThe breakthrough arrived in the 65th minute of a tense stalemate A deflected volley from former captain Climax Lawrence found its way to Chhetri who pounced with the agility of a predator With a swift turn he unleashed a blistering shot skimming past the outstretched fingertips of the goalkeeperThen pandemonium ensued In a rush of adrenalinefueled ecstasy Chhetri leapt over the barriers charging towards the animated crowd Their reaction a mix of astonishment and indignation marked the surreal inception of one of Indian footballs most inspiring talesAlso Read KL Rahul vs Sanjiv Goenka row lsquoThere is no harm in being respectfulrsquoChhetris journey to illustrious stardom has been one of unwavering resolve and dedication Born into a lineage of sporting prowess his father a stalwart of the Indian Army team and his mother a former Nepali player alongside her twin sister Chhetri inherited a competitive spirit Echoing Sachin Tendulkars tribute to his mother Sunil acknowledges his mother Sushila Chhetri for igniting the flames of ambition within himWhat perhaps distinguishes Chhetri is his choice of unconventional role models Despite the allure of football icons like David Beckham or Diego Maradona Chhetri finds inspiration in boxing legend Mary Kom His playing style increasingly mirrors Marys trademark grit and tenacity evolving from a mere spark plug to a strategic maestro without compromising his goalscoring prowessHis remarkable feats on the pitch speak volumes an 80yard dash leaving seven defenders floundering a deft chip over Kenyas hapless goalkeeper a barrage of headers and precise strikes shattering Indian records all of it combinedIn the pantheon of football legends Chhetris name holds its own Though he ranks third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in international football his achievement is no less monumentalUnlike Ronaldo and Messi who hail from footballobsessed nations and bask in the glory of elite club football Chhetris journey is rooted in representing a nation more accustomed to the periphery of the global football landscape Indias football heritage predates its cricketing dominance yet it has often languished in the shadows of the latters popularity Still Chhetris ascent serves as a beacon of hope reminding fans of Indias past glories and untapped potentialIf one was to talk about all the spectacular things you do on the pitch Chhetri would be here for ages His incredible statistics and numbers are seldom an indicator to define his contribution and importanceAs the final act concludes this remarkable career its time to pause and contemplate the journey of a lifetime With reverence we acknowledge Though youve taken your final bow and departed the field the reverberations of Sunil Sunil will continue to resound across stadiums long after your exit For there was and forever will be only one Sunil