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Subrata Pal
Age: 28Position: GoalkeeperI-League: Salgaocar (on loan)ISL: Mumbai City FCInternational caps: 60
‘Spiderman’, as he is called by fans, is a nickname well earned by this shot stopper from Kolkata. At 28, Pal has already amassed 60 caps and could well play over 100 matches for India before he decides to hang up his gloves for good. He is the captain of the team and always leads by example, keeping India in games even when the opponent is going all guns blazing.
Pal has played on both sides of the Kolkata derby along with stints at Prayag United, Rangdajied United and Salgaocar. He was an important player in Pune FC’s brilliant performance in the 2009-10 I-League season where they finished third in the league.
In the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Pal made 35 saves in three games, for which he received praise from far and wide. A Seoul newspaper released the headline stating, “Indian team GK, 16 times super-save! Who is this guy?” for his extraordinary performance against the South Koreans.
Sandesh Jhingan
Age: 21Position: DefenderI-League: Sporting Clube de GoaISL: Kerala BlastersInternational caps: 2 International goals: 0
Sandesh Jhingan is one of the finest young defenders around. Standing at 1.88m tall, he is one of the best aerially equipped players in the country. He was handed his first cap by Stephen Constantine in the first leg against Nepal in the previous round.
Jhingan can play in all four defensive positions, but is most effective in a central position.
He started his career with Sikkim side United Sikkim, which is co-owned by former Indian Captain Baichung Bhutia. The youngster helped the club gain promotion to the I-League, after which he moved to Mumbai in 2013 for a year.
In the first edition of the ISL, Jhingan was purchased by Kerala Blasters with whom he had a stellar campaign. He completed a double scoop at the awards, winning the Emerging Player of the Year award at both the the ISL and the I-league.
Known as a no-nonsense defender, Jhingan does not shy away from physical contact. He goes hard into tackles, winning a majority of them. If India are to qualify from the difficult group they have been placed in, Jhingan and his defensive partner will have to play their hearts out.
Based on Jhingan’s previous performances, there is no doubt he is up for the challenge.
Tickets for the India vs Oman match in Bengaluru on 11th June are available at www.kyazoonga.com/indianfootball.
