ISL final: A chance for Sandesh Jhingan to win his first league title

More than eight years after making his professional debut for United Sikkim, Sandesh Jhingan is in a final with a chance to win the first league title in his career. 

The 27-year-old has been a stalwart at the back for all the clubs he has played for in his career but has not been able to lift a trophy so far. 

He played for United Sikkim and Mumbai FC in the I-League before signing for Kerala Blasters in the first season of ISL in 2014. The Yellow Army, under the tutelage of David James, reached the final of the tournament that year but lost to Atletico de Kolkata in the final. 

The Chandigarh-born centre-back started 14 matches in his first season at the Kochi-based club and his impressive start helped him bag the Emerging Player of the Season award. He was in the final again at the end of the third season but lost to Atletico again following a penalty shootout disappointment in front of their home crowd in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. 

Jhingan had gone on loan to Bengaluru from Kerala Blasters in 2017 during the former's I-League campaign at the end of which the Blues lifted the Federation Cup. However, it is every player's dream to play a major role in a title-winning campaign and Jhingan has not been able to realize that dream. 

"Like all footballers, I also regret not being able to win the ISL till now. It’s painful for every athlete not to win the trophy even after reaching the final. I felt the same. That’s why I want to win the league with ATK Mohun Bagan and touch the trophy this time," the former Kerala Blasters defender had said before the season began. 

And now he is close to his objective. Bagan are in the ISL final where Mumbai City await them and on Saturday, the winner of the  2020-21 ISL will be determined. 

Except for the 2019-20 campaign during which he was injured and couldn't play a single game, Jhingan had been a regular and a skipper with the Yellow Army. But repeated club-level failures season after season signalled the exit door for the India international who remained hungry for silverware.

Jhingan's comeback from a serious injury has been remarkable. He has started every single game for the Mariners this season (not counting the play-offs where he missed the first leg) as a centre-back in a three-man defence for Antonio Habas. He has contributed to the defence which is the league's best, having only let in 17 goals in 22 matches. 

Mumbai City's attack pose a difficult challenge in the final but if the defence can keep them at bay, Jhingan could very well win his first league title.