ISL 2017/18: 5 players who could get an Indian national team call-up

The current season of the Indian Super League has seen some phenomenal performances from Indian players.

How a player performs in the ISL surely affects his chances of being selected for the national team.

Here are 5 Indian players who have played well and might be called up to the national team soon -

#5 Dhanpal Ganesh

The defensive midfielder's presence has been one of the reasons why Chennaiyin FC are sitting on top of the table.

Dhanpal Ganesh has made 6 appearances so far and has looked absolutely rock solid.

Ganesh has made 9 interceptions and 18 tackles in his 6 appearances.

He has the fourth best statistics in interceptions and tackles amongst all the players at CFC despite playing 2 games less.

As Dhanpal continues to impress, he might be all set for a return to the Indian squad. He made his debut for India in 2015 vs Nepal and went on to make 5 appearances.

#4 Mehtab Hossain

Mehtab Hossain impressed everyone with his playmaking and defensive capabilities.

Mehtab Hossain is the second defensive midfielder on this list.

The 32-year-old plays for Jamshedpur FC in the ISL. The former East Bengal player has impressed everyone with his playmaking and defensive capabilities.

Hossain has previously played for India, he made his debut in 2005 and went on to appear for India 29 times, scoring 2 goals in the process.

In the current season of the ISL, Mehtab has made 7 appearances for Jamshedpur and has made 21 tackles, second highest amongst all the players.

His 9 interceptions are also the second highest amongst all the players at the club.

#3 Abinash Ruidas

Ruidas made his debut for the India Under-23 team in 2017 against Uzbekistan.

The winger from West Bengal plays for Mumbai City FC in the ISL and was relatively unknown to many people before the start of the season.

The 22-year-old has impressed everyone with his performances this season for Mumbai City FC, he has appeared for the club 8 times this season.

Ruidas has been influential and his link up with Balwant Singh has been one of the positives so far. He has 253 passes in 8 appearances, fourth highest amongst all the players in the club.

Ruidas made his debut for the India Under-23 team in 2017 against Uzbekistan.

He might expect an India call-up very soon if his performances in the second half of the season can help Mumbai finish in the top 4.

#2 Brandon Fernandes

The India call-up for Fernandes might just be on its way.

Brandon Fernandes is one of the most exciting Indian talents currently playing in the Indian Super League.

The attacking midfielder hails from Goa and coincidentally plays for FC Goa in the ISL.

The 23-year-old has made 6 appearances so far and has 2 assists to his name. This is his first season at FC Goa after being transferred from Churchill Brothers.

Brandon Fernandes and Corominas form a deadly duo for FC Goa and look all set to finish in the top 4 this season.

Fernandes is yet to make his debut for India, he has formerly played for the under-19 team. The India call-up for Fernandes might just be on its way.

#1 Mandar Rao Desai

Mandar Rao Desai has a passing accuracy of almost 70%.

The 25-year-old is the second player on this list from FC Goa. Desai hails from Goa and plays left wing for FC Goa.

The former Dempo FC player has made 7 appearances so far and has scored one goal and assisted another. Desai is known for his pace and quick feet.

He has a passing accuracy of almost 70% and his performances have cemented his place in the starting lineup.

Desai is yet to make his debut for the Indian team and has only made a single appearance for the Under-23 side, against UAE in the 2014 Asian Games.

Desai's India call-up, if it happens should not come as a surprise given his performances in the ISL.