Chhetri is also just one goal off entering the all-time top-10 list of goal-scorers, something he can easily achieve against Afghanistan, if not a hat-trick.
The 36-year-old Chhetri has more than once brushed aside any comparison with Messi whom he has overtaken to be the second highest international goal-scorer among active players.
India rode on a Sunil Chhetri brace to down Bangladesh 2-0 here on Monday for their first away win in a World Cup qualifier in 20 years.
Chhetri, who has now taken his international tally of goals to 74 in 117 matches, spoke about the virtues of playing more passes.
The 36-year-old, who scored two superb goals against Bangladesh to lead India to a 2-0 win in the World Cup qualifier match in Doha on Monday, also refrained from setting any long-term targets.
Chhetri went past Argentine maestro Lionel Messi as the second most prolific scorer among active footballers with his 74th strike for the country in his 117th match.
Chhetri is the only Indian player to have scored his international goals in three decades. He scored his first goal against Cambodia on August 17, 2007, in a Nehru Cup match.
With his twin strikes, the captain led from the front to power India to a 2-0 win over Bangladesh on Monday night.
The seasoned striker, who helped India register their first win in six years in World Cup qualifiers, now stands only behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (103) in the active international goal-scorers' list.
The 36-year-old Chhetri achieved the staggering feat with his brace against against Bangladesh in the joint preliminary qualifying round match for 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup here on Monday night.
Chhetri first found the back of the net in the 79th minute to keep his team on course for entry into the third qualifying round of the 2023 Asian Cup.
Impressed with Virat Kohli's ability to hit perfect free-kick in a viral video, India football team captain Sunil Chhetri asked India cricket team captain to pay up for lessons in friendly banter.
The Sunil Chhetri-led side had crushed Nepalese club Tribhuvan Army FC 5-0 in their AFC Cup Preliminary Round 2 clash.
India has reported over 3.86 lakh fresh COVID cases since Thursday.
Bengaluru FC, who won the ISL in 2018-19, finished seventh in the previous season -- their worst showing since becoming a part of the ISL in 2017-18.
Sunil Chhetri had tested positive for coronavirus on March 11 and announced that he had recovered from the infection on March 28.
Chhetri had tested positive for coronavirus on March 11 and posted about it on Twitter.
The Bengaluru FC skipper is set to miss the two friendlies in Dubai on March 25 (UAE) and 29 (Oman) after he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
While the match against Oman is scheduled for March 25, the game against UAE is slated to be played on March 29. Both the fixtures will be held in Dubai.
Chhetri, however, also said that he's feeling fine and would be back on the football field soon.
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