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With almost two seasons of the Indian Super League done, there is enough evidence on which certain conclusions can be based upon. One thing for certain is that there is a consensus among the Indian players playing in the league, that the interaction with certain legendary players and other top foreign players has only made their game a whole lot better.
Utility Player
Specific to Chennaiyin FC, on the evidence of the 27 games that the club has played since the inception of the league, one can certainly call Harmanjot Singh Khabra their Mr. Versatile. In 2014, Khabra played across the midfield and at either fullback position as well. He adapted well to any role, playing his part with utmost elan on most occasions.
It is this ability to adapt that has endeared Khabra to manager Marco Materazzi. It would be safe to say that when he has been available, Khabra would have definitely been among the first name on Marco Materazzi’s team sheet.
There have been challenges, as the 26-year old would acknowledge himself. Over the course of the ISL, Khabra has played in midfield alongside the likes of Materazzi and Elano, who are well past their physical prime, and don’t necessarily possess the legs anymore. It has been evident that he has compensated for their lack of legs in midfield.
It is easy to see that the dirty work Khabra does ensure that the likes of Elano, Bruno Pelissari and Stiven Mendoza have been able to express themselves. He has always maintained that his role is very important to him and that he would help his team in any way possible.
Khabra was an ever-present in Chennaiyin’s midfield last year alongside Denson Devadas, and this year, he has played a lot alongside the Brazilian, Raphael Augusto. The Indian says he enjoys Augusto’s company alongside him.
“Raphael is a very good player who is very capable going forward. So when he goes into attacks, it is my job to sit back and guard against the counter attack. We have a very good understanding, and we keep helping each other,” Khabra said.
Strong On and Off the Ball
Off the ball, his tactical awareness is spot on and is always improving. One can always see Khabra hounding the opposition midfield, looking for the first opportunity to win possession back and set Chennaiyin’s attacks off.
And he gets forward a fair bit as well, always providing an outlet for a team-mate put under pressure by the opposition. On the ball, he is immensely calm, a non-negotiable virtue to have for a central midfielder.
His vision is one of his assets. The early ball to John Stiven Mendoza has been one of Chennaiyin’s best outlets in an attack, and Khabra has picked that pass to perfection time and again.
And his Italian manager is well pleased with what he has seen from the East Bengal man. Materazzi said, “Khabra is a very important player for us. And I’m sure he would be a very important player for many Italian teams as well.”
But Khabra is not getting complacent. As he said, “Obviously, getting praised by Marco is huge for me. But it doesn’t mean anything if I don’t keep working hard.”
The national team is obviously a glaring target, and Khabra wants to tie up a spot in Stephen Constantine’s team. “I have been in many national teams and camps before, but there have not been too many opportunities to play. My target is to play for India regularly.”
Room for Improvement
But there are some screws in his game that need to be tightened. Sometimes, it looks as though desperation gets to him. A strong case in point would be from Chennaiyin’s game against FC Goa, earlier this month – one that the Gaurs went on to win 2-0.
With only a few minutes left on the clock and Chennaiyin needing two goals to salvage at least a point, Khabra flew in with his studs up, to catch Leo Moura on the shin. A tackle for which a red card was immediately brandished. Maybe it was something that happened in the heat of the moment, but tackles like those are unacceptable in football.
There is also a case that Khabra’s temperament and composure are the bedrocks on which his game is built. He has shown ample evidence of that with his calmness in possession, and his general defensive awareness. So maybe, the incident with Moura can be classified as a one-off where he just let the game into his head a bit too much.
But, one thing that cannot be debated is Khabra’s importance to Chennaiyin. This season, Materazzi’s men have played three games without Khabra and they’ve got only four points from those games.
Being an Indian player playing in a crucial position, Khabra lends crucial balance to Chennaiyin. He allows Materazzi to play his best foreigner, and not compromise on quality.
There are three games to go this season, and in all probability, Chennaiyin will have to win all three to qualify, but Khabra is quietly confident. “We’re a good side, and if we play as well as we can, we can beat any team.”
It will be difficult, and one cannot really put it past Chennaiyin, especially if players like Khabra find their groove in all three games.
