Bhaichung Bhutia: An inspirational leader

Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who on Wednesday called time on his illustrious 16-year international career, was not only one of the finest players the country ever produced but also an inspirational leader of men.

The 34-year-old, who hailed from a nondescript village called Namchi in Sikkim, rose to stardom and became the poster boy of Indian football for the major part of the last two decades after making his international debut in 1995 against Thailand in Kolkata.

In a country obsessed with cricket, Bhaichung was perhaps the only footballer to have carved a niche for himself by his talent and inspirational leadership which made him an iconic figure of the game.

He had a fan following, though not as big as the rich Indian cricketers, but which would be the envy of other sportspersons, especially in the football-mad Kolkata and North-East India.

Bhaichung's popularity in football was such that his one-time coach Bob Houghton compared him to cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar while another former India football legend IM Vijayan termed him as the "God's gift to Indian football".

An articulate leader, who was India skipper since 1999, Bhaichung grabbed international headlines when he refused to run for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Torch when it passed through the country to protest the alleged Chinese atrocities on the Tibetans.

His act stunned the sports fraternity in the country, some saying that sports and politics should not be mixed though they respected his "personal" decision.

Bhaichung stood firm and explained his act, saying that he would have taken part in Beijing if he was to play for India but he would not want to run with the Olympic Torch.

Plagued by repeated injuries in the last seven-eight months, Bhaichung on Wednesday decided to hang his boots from international football, making his decision public at a press conference at the All India Football Federation headquarters here.

"I had fantastic 16 years of international football. I enjoyed every moment to have represented the country, to have contributed to the game. The last 7-8 months have been frustrating due to lot of injuries. So I have decided to quit," he said.

"Lots of things in life do not happen the way we wish so I am quitting from international football but will continue playing for my club United Sikkim," he added.

He was named in the India Under-23 side's tour of England where they will play against Pakistan and England Under-23 next month but pulled out after he found that his calf muscle injury was troubling him again during training here.

The lone Indian and one of few international footballers to have played more than 100 matches for his country, Bhaichung has been the trailblazer of the game in the country as he was the first Indian in post-independence era to ply his trade in Europe when he played for English Division Two side FC Bury from 1999 to 2002.

He led the way for other Indian footballers to follow suit with his younger strike partner Sunil Chhetri playing for Unites States' Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards while the likes of Subrata Paul, Gouramangi Singh, Anwar Ali and Steven Dias featuring in trials for clubs abroad.

Four uncapped players have been called up to a new-look West Indies 14-man squad for the Twenty20 doubleheader against England next month with the selectors re-appointing Darren Sammy as the captain.

Opening batsmen Miles Bascombe and Johnson Charles, along with all-rounder Nkrumah Bonner and wicketkeeper Derwin Christian, have all been picked for the first time while all-rounder Dwayne Smith makes a comeback.

The side will be without international T20 stars Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, none of whom were eligible after missing the Caribbean T20 Championship.

No Trinidad and Tobago players were considered because of their participation in the Champions League next month.

Chairman of selectors Clyde Butts said he was confident the new players in the squad would perform up to scratch.

"Bascombe is a Twenty20 player who has shown signs that he can take apart bowling attacks at the top of the order while Charles has been consistent in the past two years and has shown that he is capable of understanding the requirements of batting in the opening position in the shortest format," Butts noted.

"We have identified Bonner as someone who, because he is exciting with the bat, ball and in the field, is a developing player we are looking to give him some exposure at the highest level."

He added: "Nkrumah has also had excellent reports from the Sagicor HPC batting coach Carl Hooper.

"Christian impressed the selectors during the last Caribbean Twenty20 when he batted with a cool head and won games for Guyana, he is a pugnacious batsman who we believe can be a match winner down the order."

Smith, meanwhile, will make his return to West Indies colours after being ditched following the first One-Day International against Zimbabwe in March last year.

With a strike rate of 132 in eight T20s and with 10 Tests and 77 ODIs behind him, Smith will be at the core of the side's batting along with stylish middle order batsman Marlon Samuels.

Exciting fast bowling all-rounder Andre Russell has been included and will join speedster Fidel Edwards and leg spinner Devendra Bishoo, in spearheading the attack.

Squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Miles Bascombe, Devendra Bishoo, Nkrumah Bonner, Johnson Charles, Derwin Christian, Fidel Edwards, Danza Hyatt, Ashley Nurse, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Dwayne Smith.