Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri made an appearance at the Wankhede Stadium during Mumbai Indians’ training session and turned heads as he joined the players for a fun catching drill in a surprising crossover between two sporting worlds. The MI unit also playfully invited him to join the franchise, to which Chhetri responded with a smile and a promise.
chhetri, India is the all-time highest goal scorer and one of the most respected sports figures in the country, spent valuable time with the Mumbai Indians players and support staff during the session. He was seen interacting with head coach Mahela Jayawardene, captain Hardik Pandya and key players including Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar, among others, and gave the training ground a light-hearted and engaging atmosphere.
“I haven’t been to the stadium many times but whenever I come it’s an amazing feeling. It’s so great to come and see the sport in a different way. I wish Mumbai Indians and the fans all the best not just for this game but for the whole tournament,” Sunil Chhetri said in a MI TV video shared by the franchise.
The Indian football legend was also gifted a Mumbai Indians jersey with his name and number 11 by captain Hardik Pandya as a gesture of appreciation. Afterwards, MI released a video showing Chhetri in conversation with Mahela Jayawardene, capturing some memorable behind-the-scenes moments from his visit.
In the video, a loose ball came in Chhetri’s way during catching practice and he reacted quickly, scooping it up with impressive reflexes and composure. The moment sparked a hilarious exchange between the MI players, who jokingly suggested that Chhetri should consider joining them on the field. To this he replied with a smile, “One day, Twelfth.”
Mumbai Indians were preparing at the Wankhede Stadium for their upcoming clash against the in-form Punjab Kings April 16. The Hardik Pandya-led team is currently ninth in the points table with a net rate of -0.772 and two points from the campaign so far, following their recent 18-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the same venue.
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Published on:
15 Apr 2026 18:20 IST
