AFC Asian Cup 2019 : Top 5 defenders to watch out for

#5 Sandesh Jhingan (India)

Sandesh Jhingan will play his debut game in the Asian Cup.

A relatively unknown name as far as Asian football is concerned. But those who have followed Indian football for a few seasons now would know the amount of versatility and resilience the Kerala Blasters Captain brings to any side he plays for.

Jhingan was introduced to the top level of Indian Football by United Sikkim in the I-League 2011-12. With inconsistent performances under his belt, Jhingan failed to rise to the limelight and come under the radar of the rich Goan and Kolkata clubs for a while.

His tenure with now-defunct Mumbai FC in the 2013-14 I-League season earned him a place in the newly formed Indian Super League franchise Kerala Blasters which finally brought him under the spotlight.

Jhingan kept on delivering quality defensive displays consistently for the Blasters which prompted National Team Coach Stephen Constantine to hand him India debut in 2015. Since then, the Chandigarh-based defender has played 28 games for India and scored 4 goals. He also underwent a short stint at Bengaluru FC and was continuously pursued by East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at a certain point of time.

Jhingan's aerial ability will be key for India to hold of physically superior sides like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. His goal-scoring ability from corners and free-kicks will also be pivotal for India in the upcoming Asian Cup games.