The 2021 SAFF Championship will kick off on October 1 in Maldives. India will be vying for the title along with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and hosts Maldives. However, Bhutan has refrained from participating due to travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas Pakistan FA remains suspended by FIFA since April 7, 2021, due to third-party interference.
This will be the 13th edition of the biennial international men's football championship. The Blue Tigers are the record champions in SAFF Championship as they have won it seven times. They have played 52 matches winning 34 games, drawing 10, and losing on eight occasions.
Against Maldives, India have scored 22 times, the most number of goals against any SAFF nation. Let us see how Indian goal scorers, from IM Vijayan to Sunil Chhetri, have fared against the South Asian nations.
| Name | Total goals scored | Against |
| Sunil Chhetri | 13 | Sri Lanka - 1 Nepal - 2 Bhutan - 3 Maldives - 3 Afghanistan - 3 |
| Bhaichung Bhutia | 12 | Sri Lanka - 2. Pakistan - 1. Nepal - 2. Bangladesh - 3. Bhutan - 1. Maldives - 3. |
| IM Vijayan | 10 |
Sri Lanka - 1 |
| Jeje Lalpekhlua | 6 | Maldives - 2 Afghanistan - 3 Sri Lanka - 1 |
| Sushil Kumar Singh | 4 | Nepal - 2 Bangladesh - 1 Afghanistan - 1 |
| Manvir Singh | 3 | Pakistan - 2 Maldives - 1 |
| Ashim Biswas | 3 | Afghanistan - 2 Sri Lanka - 1 |
| Alvito D'Cunha | 3 | Afghanistan - 2 Bangladesh - 1 |
| Rahim Nabi | 3 | Maldives - 1 Bhutan - 1 Nepal -1 |
| Clifford Miranda | 3 | Bhutan - 2 Afghanistan - 1 |
| Lalllianzuala Chhangte | 3 | Nepal - 2 Sri Lanka - 1 |
| Jo Paul Ancheri | 2 | Maldives - 2 |
| Bruno Countinho | 2 | Maldives - 1 Bangladesh - 1 |
| Robin Singh | 2 | Sri Lanka - 2 |
| Sumeet Passi | 2 | Pakistan - 1 Maldives - 1 |
| Mehtab Hossain | 2 | Nepal - 2 |
| Gouramangi Singh | 2 | Maldives - 1 Bhutan - 1 |
| NP Pradeep | 2 | Nepal - 1 Pakistan - 1 |
From the table, we find that IM Vijayan has scored the most number of goals (4) against Pakistan. Meanwhile, against Afghanistan, Sunil Chhetri has netted the most number of goals (3) along with Jeje Lalpekhlua. Chhetri is also the highest scorer against Bhutan with three goals.
Bhaichung Bhutia leads the charts against Bangladesh with his three strikes. He and Chhetri both have scored thrice against Maldives to occupy pole position. The former Indian captain is also the most successful striker against Sri Lanka along with Robin Singh as both of them have two goals.
Against Nepal, five players are tied with two goals each. They are Mehtab Hossain, Sushil Kumar Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Chhetri and Bhutia.
However, there are several other goal scorers who have netted only once for India in the SAFF Championship. They are as follows:
- Amit Das (Maldives)
- Syed Shabir Pasha (Pakistan)
- Abhishek Yadav (Pakistan)
- Mehrajuddin Wadoo (Bangladesh)
- NS Manju (Maldives)
- Mahesh Gawli (Bhutan)
- Abdul Hakim (Bhutan)
- Steven Dias (Pakistan)
- Arnab Mondal (Maldives)
- Rowllin Borges (Nepal)
- Ashique Kuruniyan (Sri Lanka)
- Lallianzuala Chhangte (Sri Lanka)
- Nikhil Poojary (Maldives)
