New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- When new India head coach Khalid Jamil announced his first list of probables for the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup, Sunil Chhetri's absence in particular stood out. The tournament, Jamil's first assignment, will see India travel to Hisor, Tajikistan, where they play the hosts on August 29, Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4. The top teams from Group A and B will play in the September 8 final in Tashkent. The two second-placed teams will face off for third place in Hisor. The national camp which began on Saturday in Bengaluru, has 22 players in training while 13 others are still engaged in the Durand Cup. But the omission of India's longest-serving captain had raised eyebrows, especially with no explanation from the federation. Chhetri, who had bid farewell to international football in June 2024, was brought back by previous head coach Manolo Marquez in March. Despite showing excellent form for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League where he scored 14 goals and had two assists, his best showing in seven seasons, he could not replicate that for India, managing one goal and no assist in four matches. His absence from the squad added to the speculation whether Chhetri would continue as India player. Jamil has addressed the issue, providing clarity and showing his respect for the 40-year-old striker. "Sunil is a legend of Indian football. I have played against him, I've seen him play on numerous occasions and he is one of my favourite players. He is a role model for Indian football and the door is always open for him," said Jamil. "He's not there in this camp because we are playing a tournament which will essentially serve as a preparation for our Asian Cup Qualifiers."...