Baichung Bhutia turns the clock back in farewell show

NEW DELHI: An era in Indian football came to an end when India U-23 striker CS Sabeeth replaced Baichung Bhutia in the 84th minute at the Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.
The man from the tiny hamlet Tinkitam in south Sikkim, who became the face of Indian football, pulled the curtain downs on his illustrious 18-year-old career amid standing ovation during his farewell match against German giants Bayern Munich.
Bhutia burst into national consciousness when Indian football was going through a tough phase of transition in the 90s. Bhutia's emergence gave hope to success-starved Indian football.
Against Bayern at the floodlit stadium, the former India skipper showed that he can still be fresh like the early morning dew. He chased, lunged for the ball and ran full stretch to turn back the clock a few years. Not surprisingly, his youthful exuberance motivated his young successors to such an extent that they raised their levels a notch against much superior opponents.
After a subdued first half when India played in their own half and let in four goals, Bhutia's successors Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sabeeth and Jewel Raja fought for every ball and even challenged the heart of the mighty Bayern defence in the last quarter of the game.
Goalkeeper Karanjit Singh too was impressive with his saves, particularly a stinging shot from Tony Kroos. It didn't really matter if Bayern walked away with a 4-0 verdict. What impressed everyone was the way 'veteran' Bhutia led the young Indian side in the second session.
Despite not being fully fit, the former India captain gave the 50,000 odd spectators an evening to remember. His first touch of the ball in the second minute had Rafinha closing the Indian skipper down. Realising the chalk and cheese difference between Bayern and India, Bhutia fell back in his own half to help the clueless defence. Even when he tried the first shot from top of the box, Bhutia left an indelible impression of his grit and determination. After all, it is the same area from where he has scored countless goals for his clubs and country.
Bhutia played with a lot of gusto, his commitment motivating his young comrades who played alongside the poster boy of Indian football for the last time.
‘MISSED MY FORMER MATES’
There were hugs aplenty when Baichung Bhutia bid goodbye on the big stage. But a part of him was missing his old teammates, who were conspicuous by their absence.
"It would have been difficult for all my former teammates to come over to Delhi for a day just for this, but I have been on the phone with them all these days. Of course, it is not just my current teammates, but also my former ones that I played with for 16 years. Everyone helped in extending my career. I feel fortunate to have played alongside a lot of great players like IM Vijayan."