ISL 2017: Kerala Blasters star Iain Hume becomes the most capped player in league history

Ian — Iain Hume started his ISL journey with the Kerala Blasters in 2014

What's the story?

Canadian footballer Iain Hume, on Friday, became the most capped player in the Indian Super League when he started for Kerala Blasters FC against Jamshedpur FC, making his 48th appearance in the competition.

Hume is one of the most successful players in the ISL, leading the all-time goalscoring charts, and started his journey with the Kerala-based team in the inaugural season.

In case you didn't know....

He is one of the few players to have played in the knockout stages in each of three editions, which is one of the main reasons why he is the most capped ISL player.

With his latest cap, he overtakes Spanish midfielder Borja Fernandes, who is no longer a part of the league.

The heart of the matter

He caught the eye of everyone with his abilities in the first season and was rightfully awarded the ‘ISL Hero of the League' in 2014 after steering the Kerala team to the finals of the tournament.

The next season, he shifted his loyalties to Atletico de Kolkata and also made a mark by becoming the second highest scorer in the league with 11 goals. Last season, he guided Atletico de Kolkata (now known as ATK) to their second ISL triumph in three years.

Earlier this year, the forward was roped in by his former club Kerala Blasters FC for the 2017-18 season.

What's next?

With former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov, CK Vineeth and Courage Pekuson alongside him, the forward line of the Sachin Tendulkar-owned club is one of best in the ongoing Indian Super League.

Author's take

The Blasters are one of the most consistent teams in the history of the league, finishing runners-up on two out of three occasions. The return of Iain Hume is definitely a huge boost for the club as he is quite popular among the fans and is will be one of the most important players for them this season.