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The Indian Super League is about to kick off in less than two weeks, and all the sides will be looking to secure the title. Chennaiyin FC and ATK are the only sides to have won this tournament in these four years, with two crowns apiece.
Goalkeepers are the last man of defense, saving their corresponding teams from trouble. There must be no lapse from the goalkeepers, as they are expected to retain full focus throughout the game. They might not be tested for 89 minutes, but that one minute might cost them the game if they make a mistake.
Jan Seda, Apoula Edel, Amrinder Singh and Subrata Pal are the keepers to have won the golden glove in this competition until now. In this piece, we shall look at the five goalkeepers who might win the golden glove in the upcoming season.
#5. VISHAL KAITH (FC PUNE CITY):
Vishal Kaith was one of the hottest young prospects to have featured in the Indian Super League last season. The 22-year-old did no harm to his reputation by standing in between the sticks 17 times for Pune City the last term.
The Pune City keeper stands at 6'2" which helps to nullify opponents' aerial threat in set pieces. With his extraordinary reflexes, the former Aizawl player saved 70% of the shots he had faced last season. He kept 7 clean sheets, on par with Karanjit Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Subrata Pal.
It was a tough pill to swallow for Pune City after being shown the exit door by Bengaluru FC in the semifinals last campaign. The new arrivals of Matt Mills and Martin Diaz have strengthened the defense, which will help Vishal to gain even more confidence and battle for the golden glove.
#4. DEBJIT MAJUMDER (ATK):
Debjit Majumder was helpless for most parts of last season as ATK's defense went for a walk. The side from Kolkata conceded 30 goals from 18 games which was second most in the league, only behind Delhi Dynamos. This club conceded no more than 18 goals during the first three seasons, which helped them win two titles.
The former Mohun Bagan goalkeeper has a save percentage of 60% having faced 127 shots, with 50 on target. Saving more than half the shots that were on target is not a bad track record given how poorly his team performed at the back.
With Steve Coppell being named as the new ATK manager, there will be defensive astuteness to cut down the leakage of goals.
#3. KARANJIT SINGH (CHENNAIYIN FC):
There were several eyebrows raised when John Gregory decided to stick with Karanjit Singh, but not too many people spoke about the shot-stopper's crucial performances in Chennaiyin's title run. The 32-year-old was one of the unsung heroes in Chennaiyin's success.
Under the former goalkeeping coach Tony Warner, the 32-year-old showed his heroics by improving gradually over the course of the season. His brilliant reflexes helped him save nearly 70% of the 205 shots he faced.
With the absence of Henrique Sereno at the back, it is testing times for the defense as well the keeper who will be eager to play a big role for the Englishman.
#2. SUBRATA PAL (JAMSHEDPUR FC):
Last season's golden glove winner will be determined to add the same to his personal accolades yet again. Subrata Paul has been one of the finest goalkeepers India have produced over the last decade.
The Indian shot-stopper kept 7 clean sheets and conceded once in every 102 minutes. In addition to that, the 31-year-old faced more than 150 shots on target and made 44 saves last season. This number accounts for more than 75% save percentage.
These numbers speak volumes about the Jamshedpur keeper who is expected to perform at his best under the new manager Cesar Ferrando. The team from Jharkhand is expected to have a good defensive record in the upcoming season as the Spanish gaffer plays a similar type of football to Steve Coppell.
#1. GURPREET SINGH SANDHU (BENGALURU FC):
India's number one Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is the best custodian in the Indian Super League. The 26-year-old took the field 19 times for the Blues last season en route to their runners-up campaign.
Gurpreet is good with his feet, unlike many other goalkeepers in this league. The Bengaluru keeper completed nearly 60% of his passes last season and caught the ball on 115 occasions by making use of his aerial prowess. He let in 17 goals from 169 shots he faced on target.
The Blues have proper defensive organization which should help Gurpreet to keep more clean sheets. The Bengaluru FC shot-stopper is expected to tussle with other goalkeepers to win the golden glove in the forthcoming season.
