Thiruvananthapuram: The gains made by Indian footballers from the highly successful Indian Super League (ISL) will be known in the next few days when the 2015 SAFF Championship kicks off at the Kariavattom Greenfield Stadium here on Wednesday.
The tournament will also provide the answer to the question – will the wealth of experience gained by Indian players while rubbing shoulders with world class footballers in the ISL improve the standard of the Indian national team?
It will not be easy for India who play their opening match against Sri Lanka on Christmas Day. Afghanistan - which defeated India in the final in the last championship - Bangladesh and Maldives are teams capable of spoiling the Indian party.
Indian fans are hopeful that their team can now replicate the superb performance of the Sunil Chhetri-led side in 2011. The fact that majority of the team-members have experience playing in the ISL is what makes the Indian team different from the other competing teams. Most of the players, including captain Chhetri, are coming into the tournament after good shows in the ISL. Chhetri scored six goals in the ISL and at one time was the leading scorer in the tournament.
Along with Chhetri, Delhi Dynamos’ Robin Singh and Chennaiyin FC’s Jeje Lalpekhlua will be manning the Indian forward line. Dempo’s promising 21-year-old Holicharan Narzary is another striker to watch out in the Indian ranks.
Mumbai City’s Subrata Pal and Chennaiyin’s Karanjit Singh are the goalkeepers in the team.
Kerala Blasters’ Calvin Lobo, Francis Fernandez of Delhi Dynamos and Pune City’s Eugeneson Lyngdoh will add strength to the Indian midfield. There is no doubt that Blasters’ Sandesh Jhinghan is the star in defence. Though Jhinghan couldn’t match his performances from last year’s ISL, the Indian camp is hopeful that he will come good in the SAFF championship.
Afghanistan (139), Bangladesh (158) and Maldives (166) are ranked ahead of India (172) in the latest rankings. However, the SAFF championship provides India an opportunity to avenge the defeat suffered at the hands of Afghanistan in the 2013 final.
Group A, comprising India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, is relatively weak and for that reason India’s progress to the semifinals will be smoother. However, India surely will have to face tougher opponents in the semis. The final is slated to be held on January 3.
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