3 players who might replace Sunil Chhetri in the Indian National Team once he retires

Sunil Chhetri, aged 38, is still the driving force for the Indian national men's team and the recently-concluded SAFF Championship has been a testament to the same. The talismanic forward scored five goals in the tournament and was the runaway winner in the race for both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot.

Since his debut in 2005 against arch-rivals Pakistan, Chhetri has pumped in 92 goals for his country, becoming the fourth-highest international goalscorer in men's football. His longevity and consistency are second to none, given he still remains one of the sharpest players for the Blue Tigers. However, the idea of him hanging his boots is not a question of 'if' but 'when'.

Hence, India will need to soon unearth and nurture a prodigal talent to fill the gaping hole that will be left after the veteran forward's departure. Over the years, many have been touted as the "Next Sunil Chhetri" and they faded away faster than the speed of light.

But here are three players who can replace Sunil Chhetri in the national colors following his retirement:

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#1 Sivasakthi Narayanan

The 22-year-old is already a mentee to Sunil Chhetri at Bengaluru FC and has the honor of sharing the dressing room with the legend at club level. Hence, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take up the mantle once the old guard hangs his boots.

Sivasakthi had a breakthrough last season, starting with his five-goal contribution in the Durand Cup for the Blues. He continued to impress the management with his performances off the bench in the Indian Super League 2022-23 season and soon earned a regular spot in the starting lineup.

With six goals and three assists in 21 appearances, Siva led the Bengaluru-based club to the ISL final. Not just goal contributions but the Tamil Nadu-born was a potent counter-attacking outlet for Simon Grayson's men. However, for him to bloom into a full-fledged goalscorer for the country, the youngster will need to add a lot of temperament to his finishing.

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#2 Ishan Pandita

Ishan Pandita has been long touted as the 'next big thing' for Indian football since he departed the Spanish shores and joined FC Goa in the summer of 2020. However, limited game time at club level has halted his growth. The 25-year-old has been limited to just appearances off the bench for both the Gaurs and his recent club Jamshedpur FC.

But his technical abilities have by lauded by all the coaches he has played under. The former Lorca forward has a knack for securing clutch goals and if trusted with regular minutes can eventually transform into the forward that India has long dreamt of.

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#3 Gurkirat Singh

Just 19, Gurkirat Singh is already seen as one of the most prolific forwards in the country. His build, pace, and positioning have been regularly on display whenever he has taken the pitch. In the SAFF U-20 Championship last year, Gurkirat scored eight goals and was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the competition.

Currently plying his trade at the star-studded Mumbai City FC outfit, he will find it difficult to break into the first team immediately, but if nurtured carefully, the Chandigarh-born forward can definitely be one to fill the big boots in the near future.

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Honourable Mentions

#1 Ayush Chhikara

The 20-year-old began his career with the RF Young Champs before being signed by Mumbai City FC for their youth teams. After a loan spell with Sudeva Delhi in the 2021-22 season, Ayush Chhikara returned to the Islanders for the 2022-23 season.

In the 2023 Super Cup, he shone brightly scoring the sole goal in a 1-0 win against Chennaiyin FC. He's definitely one to keep an eye on for the future.

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#2 Irfan Yadwad

The 22-year-old captured the imagination of the footballing fraternity with a stellar goal-scoring tally in the 2022-23 season. Irfan Yadwad hammered 15 goals from 18 appearances in the BDFA Super Division and finished as the top scorer in the league. Soon after, he scored eight more goals in FCBU's Stafford Cup-winning run and extended his remarkable form in I-League 2 with an impressive 13 goals from just 11 games, including two in the playoffs.

Recently, Chennayin FC have acquired his signing realizing his potential and if Irfan can continued his golden form, there are brighter days awaiting the youngster.