The Indian Super League returns to our screens on February 14, and with it, the very best of footballers that India have to offer. Now, the lack of exploits with the national team has naturally lowered the opinion of India's best, but they remain ever-ready to show their qualities in the ISL.
The league will feature mostly Indian players this season, while also featuring the most Indian coaches as well. Thus, there's going to be a greater focus on our domestic footballers, and some will truly grab the spotlight.
Here are five Indian footballers to watch out for this season:
Sunil Chhetri - Bengaluru FC
Is this the year?
Every season, we write our mental goodbyes to the greatest Indian footballer of all time, but he continues to defy Father Time. The top-scoring Indian in the ISL last season, Chhetri's form was so good, he un-retired for the national team. However, the bulk of his goals came when he operated as a support striker - and that didn't work for the national team.
Most of his partners-in-crime from last season are not at Bengaluru FC this year, so the question remains - can Chhetri find his goalscoring touch as the main man? Will he ride off into the sunset in a blaze of glory, or will this be a quiet retreat? You can never truly tell with him, and that is why Chhetri is a must-watch, every time.
Who knows... we might even get another season out of him.
Apuia - Mohun Bagan Super Giant
This is really more a question of can a Sergio Lobera team play football without a deep-lying playmaker named Ahmed Jahouh. Apuia is clearly not that player, but has shown glimpses in the past of his playmaking abilities. G-l-i-m-p-s-e-s.
Bagan's success this season might come down to this particular pivot in midfield, as while Apuia's defensive qualities are well known, it's whether he can ping a lofted pass to a pacy wide forward that is in question. Now, the squad that Bagan have retained almost make the style of play redundant, as their quality has told every time - but Lobera is cut from a different mould as previous Bagan bosses. He wants his team to play, to build from deep, but if Apuia cannot live up to the mark, it can all come crashing down like a pack of cards.
Ryan Williams - Bengaluru FC
Mr. Four-heads might still be Australian in the yet-to-be-updated ISL website, but with him taking up an Indian passport, all eyes will be on him this season. The senior men's national team might not have any consequential football for a few years, but Williams will still need to bed in. How he plays for Bengaluru FC will play a huge role in that opinion.
His pace and ability to get the final pass right is well known, but he faces the same conundrum as Chhetri. The players he used to dovetail with aren't there, and Williams will have to take on a greater responsibility in the BFC frontline. He was also well-rotated under Gerard Zaragoza, who often kept him in reserve, but in a truncated season, Williams will perhaps have to play all of BFC's games. He only operates in one gear - 5th, and that might cause a breakdown in such a packed schedule.
Vibin Mohanan - Kerala Blasters FC
Tipped as a future India captain, never mind a national team regular, Vibin's previous season with the Kerala Blasters was very much an underwhelming one. Granted, the Blasters as a whole were underwhelming themselves, but there were plenty of hopes that Vibin would live up to his undoubted promise. He did not.
It wasn't all his fault however - asked to operate deeper, Vibin managed fairly well, and a packed midfield meant his best ability (of finding pockets of space to wreak havoc with an incisive pass) was blunted. Adrian Luna is already making waves for Persik Keridi on loan, and has left behind a sizeable hole in the Blasters lineup. It's all set up for Vibin to do what he does best, control tempo in the middle of the park and create. Can he rise up to the added responsibility? This might be make-or-break for him.
Parthib Gogoi - NorthEast United
In truth, this could have been any Indian forward that could feature as a #9 for their club, but Parthib Gogoi likely has the best chance as NorthEast United don't have a foreigner in that position. Parthib could operate like how Alaeddine Ajaraie operated last season - drifting off to the left and cutting inside to great effect - which is how we've seen Parthib score many of his worldies as well.
The talent is undoubtedly there - whether it will be platformed in a consistent way is a question. Becoming the main fulcrum of the attack asks a ton of questions of modern strikers and so far at least, Indian strikers have not been able to answer them. Is this the year that India finally discovers her #9? Parthib has the best chance, given his close-control and ability to shoot, but can he hold play up and bring others into play? It's all to play for.
Honourable mention - Muhammad Suhail
We've all seen his goals - pace, trickery and an unerring eye for goal. Muhammad Suhail went viral in the best way possible with his displays for the India U-23 team, and with the chance of regularly featuring for Punjab, we could be watching one of India's best emerge ... or disappear into nothingness. Let's all hope for the former, because India have a special talent on their hands, and he needs to be nurtured in the right way. Punjab offers him the right low-pressure environment to thrive, with the hope that he's afforded the opportunity as well.