#3 Krishanu Dey
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In India, we seem to have a penchant for labelling anyone that displays even a hint of quality as an “Indian” XYZ, whether or not those qualities are even slightly present in the person. With this player being dubbed the “Indian Maradona”, chances are that this statement is hyperbolic and cannot be substantiated by facts.
That would be wrong. Krishanu Dey definitely fits the bill with his looks, but his on-field performances are no laughing matter. Dey, along with his partner-in-crime and best friend off the field Bikash Panji, was the most sought-after footballer in the 1980s and 90s, with arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal vying for his signature.
Krishanu Dey’s immaculate dribbling with bursts of acceleration, combined with his vision for completing passes in the narrowest of spaces made him worthy of the comparison. Enjoying a cult status amongst his fans in Bengal, Krishanu was tipped to be one of the best midfielders in Asia but his diminutive figure and troublesome injuries meant that he was constantly underestimated and had to prove his critics wrong at every stage of his career.
Krishanu Dey isn’t without his spectacular national moments. He didn’t have a hand in his goals, but his brace against South Korea and hat-trick against Thailand in two games of the Merdeka Cup in 1986, accompanied by his tournament-winning performances for the inaugural SAFF Championship, meant that the former Indian captain’s international career was a successful one.
But even before these achievements, he helped India qualify for the 1984 Asian Cup Games for the first time in 20 years, and in the process kick-started a revival of the Indian national team’s Asian competitiveness.
Dey’s life was tragically cut short when a pulmonary embolism resulted in organ failure. In the end, it was football which gave him and took away his life.
Accolades
Indian Football Association’s (IFA) U-19 tournament was renamed in his honour.
