We shouldn't get carried away by FIFA rankings: Sunil Chhetri

Bengaluru: India captain Sunil Chhetri is happy about national team's best ever FIFA ranking 101 in last two decades but doesn't want to get carried away as the hardwork begins now.

"In my opinion, rankings are a very fickle measurement of one's success and it is best to not get carried away by it. You lose one game, you slide down 40 places, you win one, and you climb up 50. The real achievement will be when we cling on to this position or better it over the next three to four years," Chhetri said in a statement issued by his club Bengaluru FC.

"But while we should celebrate every success, big or small, we also need to realize that the real test begins now," he said.

India's highest ever goalscorer feels that improvement can only be measured when they play against better opponents.

"We will need to play more games with better opponents and keep performing well consistently at home and more importantly, away," said Chhetri.

Chhetri is hopeful that change in rankings will give them favourable draw in Asian competitions.

"This change in ranking also pushes us up on the Asian circuit and working our way up further will give us favorable draws when lots are drawn in continental competitions. That said, our biggest task at the moment is to make it out of the qualifiers of the AFC Asian Cup."