Cricketing world pay tribute to Sunil Chhetri after retirement call

The long-successful and high-performing Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri announced on May 16, that he will be calling time on his prestigious 19-year-long international career on June 6. Upon revealing the decision, cricket greats and teams from the country took to their social media handles to pay tribute to the Indian football legend for his phenomenal career. On Thursday, Chhetri shared a video on Instagram, where he announced that he would be playing his last international fixture during India's FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait on June 6.

Chhetri's time in national colours saw him play for India for a record 150 matches, and even score 94 goals throughout those



appearances. Since making a sensational debut against Pakistan back in 2005, where he also bagged the sole goal for India, Chhetri has been standing strong as the most successful striker option for his side till date. The 39-year-old's contribution towards the game of football, both on and off the field, has seen Chhetri gain the title of 'Captain Fantastic' from his massive fanbase. The India skipper has guided the side to 11 major trophies, which includes five SAFF Championship trophies.

Indian cricket stars like Virat Kohli and Kuldeep Yadav played special tribute to the Indian football team skipper, and were only joined by popular Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises like RCB, CSK, MI later.