Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury firmly dismissed any comparisons to cricketing icon Shakib Al Hasan, emphasising that he is "not yet there" in terms of stature or achievement.

The 27-year-old footballer was met with a raucous welcome at Sylhet Osmani International Airport on Monday. The fervour surrounding his arrival was palpable as it marked the beginning of his journey with the Bangladesh national team, who are set to take on India in Shillong on March 25 in Asian Cup qualifiers.

Later in the day, he visited his ancestral village in Snanghat in Habiganj. There, when asked about being compared to Shakib, widely regarded as one of Bangladesh's greatest sporting figures, Hamza was quick to downplay the comparison.

"I don't think I'm there yet," Hamza said, his humility evident in his words.

"Shakib Al Hasan is a megastar. He has been playing at the world level for so many years now. So, there's no comparison," he added.  

In another exciting reveal, Hamza announced that he would wear the No.8 jersey for Bangladesh.