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The Indian Super League has come to the business end of the season, and this season too has seen its share of excitement and drama. This season we have had two new teams in the form of Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC, which turned the 8 teams franchise-based league into a 10 team competition.
This season we also saw the league restructure its rules regarding the number of Indian players that were mandatory to be fielded at any point of time of play. With the new rule of Indian players coming into play we have been able to witness a lot more of Indian talents in the ISL compared to another season, also we have seen Indian players take up more responsibility compared to other seasons.
In this article, we take a look at the 5 most influential Indian players in the league. Please note that we have pointed out players based on their overall influence on their team and not just their stats or stardom, we have also tried to keep away big stars of Indian football from this list.
#5 Dhanpal Ganesh (Chennaiyin FC)
The only local lad from Chennai in the Chennaiyin line up has been a standout performer for the Super Machans. His big physical presence in the midfield has given players like Raphael Augusto and Rene Mihelic the freedom to go forward and play more freely. His hard tackling nature has made life difficult for opposing teams to play swift football against Chennaiyin. Dhanpal also scored his first goal in the ISL this season and is back in full form after suffering a season-long injury last season.
He has committed 57 fouls so far, and that stat goes on to show how much of the workload he has been taking. He has some good amount of blocks and clearances too and has a passing accuracy of 75% which isn’t bad at all. He has also at times played some very good passes for his forwards.
Dhanpal has been mainly praised this season though due to the way he has gone about doing all the dirty work for Chennaiyin in the middle of the park. His bulldozer style football could come in handy for the national team too, and Dhanpal will surely want to get back his spot in the national team something he lost out on after getting injured. His presence during set pieces has been a big boost for Chennaiyin FC.
#4 Lalruatthara (Kerala Blasters)
The former Aizawl FC wing back and I-League winning defender has been one of the best players for Kerala Blasters this season. His dedication, hard work and attitude have earned him praise from all circles. Ruatthara has made himself an integral member of the Kerala Blasters squad despite the team having some big names in defense.
He has played in every game this season for Kerala Blaster except one against Northeast when he was suspended. He has also featured in every minute of those game and had a big impact during those game. He has put in some 80 tackles so far this season which is one of the highest by any player, he also has some very crucial interceptions and clearances to his name.
Ruatthara is sure to get a national team call-up after his performance in the ISL this season, and it would be a huge shock if he is left out.
#3 Md. Ali (FC Goa)
The former Neroca center back has been a revelation this season and has wowed many by his performance this season. He has at times single-handedly held the fort for Goa, and his impeccable technique and calm and composed nature has earned him plaudits from the highest echelons of Indian football.
He has played in 16 games for FC Goa this season and has looked to be in better form than the team's foreign defenders. His clean ball winning tackles, and his quality to jockey opponents and not lunge into a tackle is a breath of fresh air for Indian defenders. He has a high number of clearances and blocks credited to his name and has also been one of the most disciplined defenders in the ISL this season.
#2 Adil Khan (FC Pune City)
Adil Khan is a seasoned professional in the Indian football circuit, having played for teams like Churchill Brothers, Sporting Club de Goa, and Mohun Bagan. He also has 3 senior India National team caps to his name. Adil though was also billed as a player who has potential but never could perform accordingly.
This season though all that changed as the Indian football fraternity of old and new watched in delight as Adil went on to exceed all expectations. He has so far managed to score 4 goals in 9 games for FC Pune City and has a goal conversion rate of 33%, a figure which is massive given that Adil predominantly plays as a central defensive midfielder and has also played as a center back for FC Pune City.
As much as his attacking stats his defensive stats are also impressive with 54 tackles and 41 clearances in 9 games. His presence in Pune during set pieces has been the best part of his game though.
It does look like that Ranko Popovic has been the first manager to get Adil to perform up to his potential.
#1 Rahul Bheke (Bengaluru FC)
Rahul Bheke the ex-East Bengal right-back has been having a season to remember so far. Gaining the limelight among players like John Johnson and Juanan is a rare feat, and Bheke has done it time and again this season.
He has undoubtedly been the best BFC defender this season, and the BFC management didn’t waste any time to get the signature of the Mumbai born lad on a long-term contract. With the new contract in place, Rahul will be based in the Garden city till 2021, and it only goes to show how crucial he has been to the team this season.
His versatility has been the biggest positive for the team, as he has played as a Right Back and Centre Back with equal conviction and seemed to have no problems in changing his positions according to the situation.
He has a pass success rate of 80% something is hardly found in Indian defenders and his calmness on the ball has earned him praise from his critics too. He has a high number of blocks credited to his name and has more often than not, covered the mistakes of his foreign colleagues in defense.
Bheke also has 16 crosses to his name a figure which is very high given he played most of the 15 games that he featured in as a Centre Back, and also not to mention his gigantic long throws which have been used as a set piece on a number of occasions.
Rahul is another player who deserves a National team call-up after his performance in the ISL this season.
