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The Indian Super League (ISL) draft starts off this Sunday and Indian players are anxiously awaiting their fate ahead of the much-anticipated occasion. The 2017/18 ISL will be the biggest ever, with more teams than before and a longer duration of the league the most notable changes in the popular franchise league.
With more than 200 players confirmed to be part of the ISL draft, there are quite a few players whose valuations are eyebrow-raising as much as unfair to the other players. From players being valued as high as Rs 1.1 crore to as low as Rs 4 lakhs, clubs are free to choose and pick the players they feel would fit in within their respective budgets.
Let us take a look at the five players whose value in the draft doesn’t reflect their recent form.
#1 Eugeneson Lyngdoh
The Shillong-born midfielder hasn’t quite had the impact for both club and country in the recent past. Therefore, it comes as a surprise that the former Bengaluru FC man is valued the highest in the draft. Lyngdoh, along with Anas Edathodika, is valued at a mouth-watering Rs 1.1 crores but that doesn’t do justice to his contributions to Bengaluru FC and India in this calendar year.
Lyngdoh had an average ISL 2016 campaign with Pune City where he wasn’t even a regular starter, while he only made 12 starts for Bengaluru in the I-League last season, scoring a solitary goal and providing no assists. While Lyngdoh is one of the best midfielders in Indian football, his price in the draft is based on his reputation and not on his recent form.
#2 Subrata Pal
The former NorthEast United shot-stopper had a difficult last few months after facing a potential drug ban which has since been resolved, leaving the India international to escape with just a warning. Before that though, Pal had been heavily criticised by DSK Shivajians’ head coach Dave Rogers after a mistake-riddled display against Shillong Lajong cost the Pune-based side all three points in last season’s I-League.
That aside, a couple of calamitous performances for NorthEast United in ISL-3 also cost the Highlanders a place in the ISL playoffs, therefore, quite how the man from Sodepur commands a whopping sum of Rs 87 lakhs is beyond belief. That said, Pal has been one of the most consistent servants of the Indian game throughout his career but doesn’t such a lofty valuation going by his recent form.
#3 Thoi Singh
Thoi Singh turned out to be one of Chennaiyin FC’s best Indian players during the club’s run to the final of ISL 2015. The man from Manipur has since played at Bengaluru FC and Mumbai FC and is one of the star midfielders in the draft list with a price tag of Rs 57 lakhs. However, the 26-year-old failed to impress during his time at Mumbai FC in the last I-League season which ended in relegation for the club.
Thoi’s recent form does little justice to his valuation, but his combative nature of play and an eye for goal means that he will be in high demand during the draft. The midfielder hasn’t yet played for the Indian national team, another pointer of his inflated valuation.
#4 Bikramjit Singh
The defensive midfielder from Punjab last played for Mohun Bagan in the I-League and was a bit-part player for the Mariners as they finished behind Aizawl FC in the title race. Bikramjit made only three starts as Bagan failed to clinch the title, a reason why his price tag of Rs 53 lakhs looks a bit steep.
Although Bikramjit was part of the ISL-winning Atletico de Kolkata side of last year, he wasn’t a first-choice for head coach Jose Molina. The 24-year-old hasn’t yet represented India in international football, therefore, it seems that his valuation is a bit on the higher side.
#5 Dharmaraj Ravanan
Ravanan was among the key defenders at Pune City last season, but amid all the tactical tinkering of head coach Antonio Habas, the 29-year-old struggled to help the Orange-Purples to a top four league phase finish. Pune City eventually ended up in sixth place and Ravanan joined Chennai City for the 2017 I-League campaign.
Led by Ravanan, Chennai City finished eighth in the I-League, barely qualifying for the Federation Cup 2017. That the versatile central defender has a price tag of Rs 50 lakhs is confounding, but clubs will be wary of spending such an exorbitant sum of money on a player who hasn’t yet played for the Indian national team.
