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The second edition of the Indian Super League is underway, and Indian football fans have started flocking to the stadiums to support their favourite teams, as it has been even more exciting than last season. The teams have recruited players and coaching staff smartly this season, and going by the performances so far we can safely say the quality of football has certainly improved this season.One of the prime reasons is because teams have bought better and younger foreign players, many of whom are doing very well for their clubs. Another big reason is the participation of the best Indian players this season. Ten Indian players, who missed the inaugural season of the Indian Super League, were part of an auction held in July to decide their teams.We take a look at the top 5 Indian players we sorely missed out on watching in the inaugural season:
#5 Rino Anto
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The 27-year-old right back, who is also a Tata Football Academy youth product, has recently cemented his place in the national side. Rino Anto was bought by defending champions Atletico de Kolkata for Rs.90 lakhs, which is more than five times his base price of Rs. 17.5 lakhs.
He was subject to a bidding war between FC Goa and Mumbai City before Atletico de Kolkata sneaked in and eventually got their man. Like many on the list, Anto also plays for I-league side Bengaluru FC where he made a name for himself and has previously played for I-league sides Mohun Bagan and Salgaocar.
Anto his known for his genuine pace and his ability to cross the ball with accuracy. The Kerala born right-back can also play on the left side of the defense and will be a crucial player for Atletico de Kolkata, who will be looking to defend their title.
His tireless running down the flanks and physical defending have seen him become a fan favourite and his presence this year definitely adds a great deal of quality to the existing roster of players.
#4 Robin Singh
The 25-year-old was bought by Delhi Dynamos for Rs. 51 lakhs during the auction and scored on his debut for the Delhi outfit. Singh has been a regular in the Indian national side and has 22 appearances to his name.
Playing for Bengaluru FC in the I-league, he scored 16 goals in 56 appearances for them. He is a typical modern game number nine, who uses his physical presence to beat the defenders, and heavily relies on hsi teammates to feed him the right ball, apart from linking up well with his teammates.
A product of the Tata Football Academy in Jamshedpur, Robin started his career with Kolkata giants East Bengal where he made his name in the Indian football scene.
He has also trained aborad with a UAE first division club, and under former Manchester City player Mel Eves in England. Robin Singh also loves the glamour that comes along with the beautiful game and will be hoping to do well for Delhi Dynamos.
The fact that he is playing for his hometown club makes it all the more sweet for the striker and he will be wanting to wow more fans with his game.
#3 Arata Izumi
Japanese-born Indian footballer Arata Izumi has garnered a lot of attention in the second season of the Indian Super League after his remarkable start. The 33-year-old already has two goals in two starts for defending champions Atletico de Kolkata.
Izumi started his professional career in Singapore with Albirex Niigata Singapore of the S.League before moving back to Japan to play for Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C. of the Japan Football League. He then moved to India as he signed for I-league giants East Bengal, scoring one goal and assisting another 10 in 14 games during his first season.
Izumi then signed for Mahindra United with whom he won the Durand Cup, but his best form came during his time at Pune City FC for whom he has made more than 100 appearances. He has also featured for the national side after he gave up his Japanese passport and got his Indian passport in 2013, and was selected by Dutch manager Wim Koevermans for the international friendly against Palestine.
Arata Izumi was signed by defending champions Atletico de Kolkata for Rs. 68 lakhs during the auction, with his base price being Rs. 40 lakhs and he has shown everyone why he deserved a place at a top side. Always a fan favourite, Arata has shown that he has what it takes to make up for lead striker Helder Postiga’s injury and provide goals for his team.
Having him play in the first season would have been great as his guile and clever running and finishing could definitely have helped many teams, and would have definitely kept the fans engaged even more.
#2 Eugeneson Lyngdoh
Another Bengaluru FC player who was on the wishlist of a lot of teams during the auction is Eugeneson Lyngdoh. The 29-year-old was bought for Rs. 1.05 cr by FC Pune City, which was an almost 5x increase from his base price of Rs,. 27 lakh.
Lyngdoh joined I-league side Bengaluru FC at the start of the last season from Rangdajied United, and enjoyed a brilliant debut season for them as he scored 8 goals and assisted another 16 goals, and was also named as I-League midfielder of the season.
The central midfielder has featured regularly for the national side in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. The Shillong-born player will be a key player for Pune, who had a disappointing first season as they finished 6th in the league standings.
The midfielder is currently one of the best Indian talents and a he is expected to light up the tournament this season. What is definite though is that the fans would definitely have loved to see him in the first season and would want him to do very well this season to make up for his absence, as they hope the Pune team goes all the way.
#1 Sunil Chhetri
Obviously the first name that comes to our mind is the Indian national team and Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri, who plays for Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League. The 31-year-old missed the inaugural season due to his commitments with Bengaluru FC, but was very keen to play in the second season.
Chhetri has an impressive goal scoring record for the national team, and scored in 2 consecutive matches during India’s 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Oman and Guam. Another important fact to note is that he is the highest scoring player for the Indian national team, having surpassed Baichung Bhutia’s record.
In 2009, Sunil Chhetri was signed by English side Queens Park Rangers, who were playing in the Championship, but was later denied a work permit. He also attracted interest from MLS sides like LA Galaxy and D.C United, but the move never materialized as Chhetri decided to join English side Coventry City on trial.
In 2010, he finally signed for MLS side Kansas City Wizards, making just one appearance from the bench during his stay in the United States. He got another opportunity to prove himself abroad in 2012, as he signed a two year contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal and made 3 appearances for the reserve side during his stay in Portugal.
The Indian captain currently represents Bengaluru FC in the I-League and was signed by Mumbai City FC in the auction for Rs. 1.20 crores. He is an undoubted fan favourite and they will be hoping he gives them moments to enjoy. He remains their most important player in this ISL campaign and just as he showed last night when his two goals gave Mumbai the win, they will be looking up to him to get them on the winning road.
