Kathmandu— Sunil Chhetri, former captain of the Indian national soccer team, has made an emotional plea to the Tata Group to reconsider its decision to withdraw Jamshedpur FC from the Indian Super League (ISL) starting in the 2026-27 season. The veteran striker described the move as 'a punch to the gut' and warned that it could be a significant setback for the sport.

Chhetri's Emotional Appeal

In a heartfelt post on X, Chhetri reflected on the challenges faced by Indian football and emphasized the importance of long-term stakeholders like the Tata Group. 'It takes a lot to be a stakeholder in Indian football,' he wrote, adding that when everything seems precarious, it is the support from established entities such as the Tata Group that keeps the sport going.

Chhetri paid tribute to the group's contributions through the Tata Football Academy and Jamshedpur FC, calling them 'one of our pillars.' He expressed disappointment over the club’s decision to fold its first-team operations, noting the immediate impact on players and staff who may struggle to find new opportunities.

Impact on Indian Football

Chhetri warned that losing Tata Group's involvement in the top tier of Indian football would be a disaster with no alternative. 'Not having the TATA group involved in the top tier of Indian football – that would be a disaster with no alternative,' he said.

While acknowledging that tough decisions are often driven by commercial realities, Chhetri appealed to Tata Group's leadership to reconsider their decision. He urged them to prioritize the heart over the head and emphasized that this could be crucial for the future of Indian football.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.