Indian football team heavily dependent on Chhetri: Bhutia

Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Thursday said that the forward line of the current team is heavily dependent on Sunil Chhetri and the other players need to step up and score goals.

Bhuita said that the team's defence has already showed a good account of itself in the last two World Cup qualifier matches and the onus is on the strikers to deliver against Bangladesh on October 15 here.

"Our main concern has been defending and if they can maintain that it's okay. Now this Bangladesh game is going to be a big test for the strikers. It's not the defence but the forward line which will have to deliver," Bhutia told PTI in an interview.

"I think against Qatar (in the drawn match), India defended well. We definitely require more goal-scoring strikers. We need to improve our striking zone as it's only Sunil who's able to score. If he's not playing or does not score it becomes very, very difficult."
Talking about centre back Sandesh Jhingan, Bhutia said, "He is one player who gives everything on the pitch. That's been from day one when I first saw him as a 17-year-old boy at United Sikkim."