RB: Sandesh Jhingan (Kerala Blasters)
The ISL Emerging Player from the inaugural season has grown better with every passing season. After initially playing at centre-back due to the absence of Aaron Hughes, Jhingan shifted to the right-back role once the Northern Irishman returned.
Jhingan excelled in both roles for a Kerala defence that, barring that one collapse against Mumbai, was a tough net to escape for most sides. He had 25 tackles, 15 interceptions and won 17 aerial duels across all 14 games.
CB: Cedric Hengbart (Kerala Blasters)
The 36-year-old Frenchman was an ever-present in the heart of the Blasters defence, providing a calming influence and being a very good reader of danger. When it came to aerial deliveries, Hengbart was very good at defending as evidenced by his 31 aerial duels won, the highest in the league.
Featuring in every game, he also had 25 interceptions (7th) and 30 tackles (top 10) to his name. Not just that, he chipped in with two assists and a goal as well.
CB: Lucian Goian (Mumbai City)
A rock for the Mumbai team, Lucian Goian helped them solve a problem that had plagued them in the first two seasons, a leaky defence.
Quick to get to his man and never hesitant to put in a tackle, Goian’s powerful showing in defence provided Mumbai with a solid platform this campaign.
Between Hengbart’s calm assuredness and smart positioning and Goian’s all-action style, this would make for a very good defensive partnership. The Romanian led the league in tackles, making 67 of them, was second in interceptions with 31 and fourth in aerial duels won with 25.
LB: Souvik Chakraborty (Delhi Dynamos)
While much of the attention deservedly went to the Dynamos’ attack for their remarkable form this season, there were a couple of guys at the back who helped them hold down the fort. Souvik was one of them.
Very underrated and often overlooked, the Mohun Bagan Academy product has been quietly battling away in that Dynamos defence all season. One of his attributes is the way he breaks up play when the opposition is advancing on his goal.
Souvik made the second-most tackles (58), behind only Goian and also had an impressive 31 interceptions (8th in the league).
