ISL 2016: Top Five Indian Players of the month
While it’s mainly the foreign marquee signings who have hogged the headlines in the first month of ISL’s third edition, but to say they have outplayed their Indian counterparts would be stretching a reality a bit too thin. The Indian players have been really good – ranging from the fresh faces (like Jerry Lalrinzuala) to the wily old foxes (Mehtab Hossain), and here we take a look at the five best Indian players over the course of the first month of ISL season 3
Honourable mentions – Sana Singh (Delhi Dynamos), Hallicharan Narzary (NorthEast United), Sandesh Jhingan (Kerala Blasters) and Jayesh Rane (Chennaiyin FC)
1. Jerry Lalrinzuala – Chennaiyin FC
Aged just 18, Jerry is at the head of a bunch of very talented Chennaiyin youngsters – most of them too young to play in the ISL where 18 is the minimum age limit due to contract laws (Jerry turned 18 just two months before the ISL started) – that will see to it that the defending champs will remain a force to reckon with for some time to come.
Jerry has been a revelation playing left back under the guidance of the legendary Italian Marco Materazzi. His youthful exuberance and energy have been tempered with a head much wiser than what you would expect, and he's been as solidly dependable at the back as he has been consistently adventurous going forward.
The lad looks a sure pick for the senior Indian national team, sooner rather than later.