Explained: Why Indian-origin players cannot represent Blue Tigers the way Bangladesh got English-born Hamza Choudhury

Hamza Choudhury, who made his Bangladesh debut during the Asian Cup Qualifying game against India in Shillong last week, had represented England, the country of his birth, at the U-21 level. Here’s why Indian-origin footballers cannot represent the Blue Tigers.

Defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury, currently on loan at Sheffield United from Leicester City, had represented England in youth football, making seven appearances for the U-21 side between May and June in 2018, and had harboured ambitions to represent the ‘Three Lions’ someday.

The massive competition for places in the senior English squad, however, means only a handful of individuals get to represent the football-mad nation. For Choudhury, born to a Grenadian father and Bangladeshi mother, it meant he had to look elsewhere to fulfill his ambition of playing international football with his hopes of playing for England fast drying up.

Having grown up in a Bangladeshi household, it came as no surprise that he decided to represent his mother’s country of birth. And last Tuesday, seven months after acquiring a Bangladeshi passport, Choudhury made his debut for the Bengal Tigers during the Asian Cup qualifying game against India in Shillong, which ended in a goalless draw.

Continue Reading on FIRSTPOST