New Delhi: Apart from putting together building blocks for the future, not much else is up for grabs for India and Bangladesh in their AFC Asian Cup qualifier after their early elimination from the race to be in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

With two points from four matches, both bottom-placed India and Bangladesh, who are placed a rung above, are out of contention to qualify.

Like Sunil Chhetri coming out of retirement didn’t help India, Hamza Choudhury’s naturalisation also didn’t quite pay rich dividends.

The midfielder, though, remains Bangladesh’s best bet score after his brace in a 2-2 draw with Nepal in a friendly four days ago at the National Stadium, the venue for Tuesday’s 7.30 pm kick-off.

The 41-year-old Chhetri, on the other hand, has been excluded from Khalid Jamil’s touring

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