Can Ayush Chhetri be India's special weapon to stopping Hamza Choudhary threat in Bangladesh clash?

Ayush Chhetri made his debut for India against Maldives.

Ayush Chhetri had quite a debut night as the Indian football team picked up their first win after 489 days with a 3-0 thrashing of the Maldives football team. This was an ideal preparation for the upcoming clash against Bangladesh in the first game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Blue Tigers’ recent performance has gotten many fans talking. The attacking display earned a lot of praise. Liston Colaco’s heroics earned him applause, while Sunil Chhetri’s triumphant return with a goal had many going gaga. However, a player who produced a solid performance amidst all the sparks was midfielder Ayush Chhetri.

Manolo Marquez handed three very talented players their senior team debut against Maldives! #IndianFootball #IndianFootballTeam #BlueTigers pic.twitter.com/w2A3Hfat7j

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) March 20, 2025

The FC Goa midfielder had a memorable debut, bringing composure and steel to India’s midfield line. He anchored his midfield line with confidence, not allowing the opposition players any empty space in their half.

Chhetri is in line to keep his place against Bangladesh, where he’ll face a challenging task against Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhary. With his experience of playing in the Premier League, Choudhary will be a major threat to the Blue Tigers and needs to be kept under a lid for India to be on top of the game. The FC Goa man might be tasked to neutralize his threat and he can actually act like Manolo Marquez’s special weapon for this task. Here is how.

3. Chhetri can shield his backline confidently

A key reason for FC Goa keeping eight clean sheets in the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) league phase was not just because of their backline, but also those in front. Along with Carl McHugh, Chhetri proved himself as a capable ‘protector’ of his backline by acting like a reliable shield. The 21-year-old has the ability to situate himself right in front of the defensive line, getting into the right areas to cut out trouble.

He will look to ensure that Choudhary or any other Bangladesh player can’t just stroll their way into the defensive third through the central positions. Chhetri’s hard-working nature means he can position himself into the vital areas ahead of the backline, neutralizing the supply lines through the central areas and frustrating the visitors. That includes him working towards making vital interceptions and possession recoveries, which he did well by winning 62 recoveries in 21 ISL games this season.

2. He’s physically adept to keep up with Choudhary

The biggest threat that Choudhary will bring into the midfield battle against India is his physical advantages. He might be around 5’10’ in height, but Hamza is naturally bulked up and knows how to win the physical duels because of his years playing in the intense England leagues. He will be looking to use his physical strengths to bully the Indian players, but Chhetri is probably someone who can keep up with him in that aspect.

The 5’9’ FC Goa man is almost as tall as Choudhary and has the physical attributes that will stop him from being bullied around. Chhetri has already proven himself as an expert duel winner in the midfield, having won 57 duels in 21 ISL games so far this season. The 21-year-old has the necessary physical strength and duel-winning ability to go toe-to-toe with Choudhary and stop him from having total control of the ball and spaces in the midfield areas.

1. Game reading and man-marking abilities

Marquez has taken a real fondness for Ayush Chhetri and that can be because of how ‘modern’ the midfielder is with his approach to matches. He is not only an efficient passer of the ball, being able to move it forward quickly, but someone who can read the opposition attacking patterns compellingly. Chhetri proved that by making a numbr of necessary challenges to stop Maldives flow through the central areas in the recent game.

His in-game IQ and ability to anticipate opposition moves can help him excel against the Bangladesh side. Chhetri can frustrate Choudhary with his ability to disrupt his side’s passing rhythm and also by marking him tightly. The FC Goa midfielder is an impressive marker in terms of being able to track the movement of opposition players and stop them from getting free room to move along.

If Chhetri is at his sharpest against the Bangladeshi side and can maintain utmost efficiency against Choudhary, then he can play a key role in making the Sheffield United man’s Bangladesh debut a forgettable one.

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