I-League 2018-19: Top 5 Indian players to watch out for
The top tier football league of India, the I-League is stated to begin the day after tomorrow when Chennai City FC play host to the AIFF's development side Arrows.
This season of the I-League is billed by many to be the last season of the I-League as we know it, as talks of a merger and revamped roadmap of Indian Football is on the cards. As per a report, that is being floated around, FIFA and AFC have given AIFF 2019 as the deadline to sort out the mess of duel league running parallel and both leagues having continental berth spots.
Even among all these uncertainties of next season, this season's I-League promises to be a cracker with teams from Kashmir to Kerala and Manipur to Goa featuring in the truly pan India tournament.
For years now I-League has been the main breeding ground for Indian talents, and it is often said that if a player can prove his mettle in the I-League only then can he be counted as ready.
The colonial cousin of the I-League, i.e. the cash-rich ISL have nearly all the big names of Indian football, but all those big names became big names by playing in the all-important I-League.
In this piece, we take a look at 5 Indian players to watch out for during this I-League season:
#5 Baoringdao Bodo (Gokulam Kerala)
The agile and acrobatic young striker from Assam is one of the golden boys to graduate from the AIFF Elite Academy. The 19-year-old lad has had a training stint in FC Mertz and is on loan to Gokulam Kerala from ISL Champions Chennaiyin FC.
Bodo already has appeared for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL and is one of their future stars. Joining Gokulam is probably one of the best deals to happen to the lad as the move guarantees him with proper game time and a chance to improve his game more.
The lad from Assam is no stranger to the I-League having played for Minerva Punjab in the 2016-17 I-League season. He is also the youngest ever player to score in the I-League when he scored against Mumbai FC in Ludhiana.
With two years of experience and training, the lad is one of those who can break the threshold point and emerge to be one the best strikers in the country.