India vs Maldives: Sunil Chhetri's Comeback Takes Centre Stage as Indian Football Team Prep For Bangladesh Clash

It's not every day that Indian football fans would be looking forward to a match against Maldives. But few would have predicted that Sunil Chhetri would be making his comeback against this side.

The all-time record goal-scorer for the Indian football team had retired from international football in June 2024 but has done a U-turn, much to the delight of Indian fans.

And head coach Manolo Marquez has confirmed that the stalwart striker will get some game time in the friendly match, even if he did not guarantee that he would start the game.

"For sure, Sunil will play some minutes. I don't know whether as a starter or from the bench. We can use six substitutions, so 17 players can play, and I think Sunil will be one of them," Marquez said in the pre-match press conference.

The India vs Maldives game, however, is just a tune-up - the main event will be the game against Bangladesh that is set to take place on March 25.

How Will Sunil Chhetri's Return Boost India?

March 25 marks the start of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, which will be the main focus of the Indian football team right up until March 31, 2026.

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India are placed in Group C along with Bangladesh, Singapore and Hong Kong - and the stakes are high, given India are now in the third round of qualifying.

Only the group winners are guaranteed a spot in the continental football tournament, making every single match a must-win for the Indian football team.

And this is where the team will benefit from Chhetri's return - he is a guaranteed goal-scorer in a team that can be solid but often lack the killer instinct needed up front.

"He is the Indian player with the most goals this season. It doesn't matter if a player is 20, 40, or my grandfather at 87. If they are in better shape, they will be here," Marquez said.

There's also the intangibles that Chhetri's return will bring - leadership, experience and composure.

What Are India's Chances?

On paper, India should win this group given they are ranked higher than all of their opponents. But football matches are not won on paper and India's struggles in recent times are a cause for concern.

The team have often struggled against lower-level opposition, unable to break down the ultra-defensive set-ups these teams come with.

Never was this more evident than when they dropped points twice to Afghanistan in the previous round of qualifying.

They first played out a 0-0 draw away from home, before Afghanistan shocked them 2-1 at Guwahati to all but end India's hopes of direct qualification for the AFC Asian Cup.

There's also the fact that Bangladesh will be boosted by the addition of Hamza Choudhury, an English-born midfielder who recently opted to play for the home nation of his mother.

India will have their work cut out for them - but a win in their first game will set them up nicely for the remainder of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, which in a way begins with the Maldives friendly.