ISL 2016: From prolific CK Vineeth to sublime Kean Lewis, the top Indian players from the league stage

The second season of the Indian Super League (ISL) marked the emergence of Indian players as a force in a league that had been dominated by the foreign players in the first edition. The likes of Mandar Rao Dessai, Jeje Lapekhlua, Anas Edathodika, Amrinder Singh, among others had left a mark on the league in 2015. This trend seems to have taken a bit of a hit in 2016, when once again the foreign players ran the show.

While not many Indians may have done well in ISL 2016,  the ones who did, soared to great heights. Be it the free-scoring CK Vineeth, or the sublime Kean Lewis or the engine of Rowllin Borges, these are the names that have become an integral part of their respective sides and it would be difficult imagining their teams’ fate had it not been for them.

With the season reaching it’s business end after completion of the league phase, here is a look at the best Indian players in ISL 2016:

Kean Lewis (Delhi Dynamos)

The 24-year-old forward has been nothing short of sensation for the Delhi Dynamos. Playing alongside the likes of Florent Malouda, Marcelinho and Richard Gadze in a rampant Delhi Dynamos attack, the youngster hasn’t just combined well with the rest, but has almost matched them toe to toe. Lewis has been the most consistent performer in the ISL this season and has been troubling defences from match one to match fourteen. Back in his hometown, Lewis was the Dynamos’ best player and seemed hungry on a night that had little on offer in terms of progression in the tournament. With four goals and two assists this season, Lewis is the second highest Indian scorer in the league and is surely a player to watch out for in the semifinals.

CK Vineeth (Kerala Blasters)

There are few players in the history of the ISL that have had a bigger impact on a team’s season than Kerala Blasters’ CK Vineeth. The 28-year-old striker has impressed in the I-League for champions Bengaluru FC, but his arrival in ISL 2016 after Bengaluru’s AFC Cup Final, completely transformed the Blasters’ campaign. The men from Kerala were languishing down the bottom of the table and it looked like it was going to be another campaign without a semifinal berth when the addition of Vineeth sparked their forward line. The local lad scored five goals in six matches to power the Blasters to second place at the close of the league stage. The striker though hasn’t been happy about his performances thus far and felt that he has been lucky to score his goals. If Vineeth does hit his stride in the semifinals, one may only wonder what he could achieve.

Rowllin Borges (NorthEast United)

There have been few Indians that have made it to the central midfield of an ISL team and had a really good season. Harmanjot Khabra was perhaps the one after his exploits with Chennaiyin FC helped them lift the trophy in 2015. But in 2016, that player has to be Rowllin Borges. The tough-tackling, box-to-box Indian midfielder has been a favourite of Indian national team coach Stephen Constantine, who has shown a lot of faith in him. His performances in an Indian shirt have blossomed in recent times, but the player has certainly come of age in ISL 2016, playing for Nelo Vingada’s NorthEast United. The 24-year-old midfielder made a great start to the season and was particularly impressive in his side’s wins over Kerala Blasters and FC Goa. The midfielder’s consistent performances made him a regular starter at NorthEast United, as he provided the likes of Emiliano Alfaro, Katsumi Yusa and Nicolas Velez the much needed stability to work their magic upfront.

**Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte (**Mumbai City FC)

Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte, more popularly known as Sena Ralte, did enough during ISL 2015 to showcase his potential during the few times he appeared for Chennaiyin FC. But a lack of consistency meant he had to play second fiddle to Dhanachandra Singh for most parts of the season. After enjoying a good season with DSK Shivajians in the I-League, the 28-year-old defender who rose to prominence during his time at Royal Wahingdoh, was picked by Mumbai City FC who were looking to improve on their leaky defense. The 28-year-old quickly earned the faith of new coach Alexandre Guimaraes with a splendid performance in his side’s win over FC Pune City in the opening match and there has been no looking back since then. Ralte played in every Mumbai City game during the league stage and formed a key part of a strong defense. Helping his side to keep eight clean sheets in the process, Sena Ralte is surely among the top Indian players this season.

Prabir Das (Atletico de Kolkata)

A find of ISL 2016, Prabir Das had to be content with a place on the sidelines when he was drafted to play for Delhi Dyanmos in 2015. The 22-year-old full back didn’t play a single minute of the campaign. But in 2016 he found a home in Atletico de Kolkata, his hometown club, where he made a real mark. Coach Jose Molina showed a lot of faith in him by starting him in every match at the start. He repaid his faith by putting in some great defensive displays, especially against Delhi Dynamos where he kept Kean Lewis quiet all throughout the match. The right-back lost his place to Pritam Kotal eventually, but impressed once again when he got the chance to play against NorthEast United. He might not play every minute of the semifinals or the final if Atletico get there, but his solid performances in the rearguard show plenty of promise. So he’s certainly one for the future.

Lenny Rodrigues (FC Pune City)

There are few things that FC Pune City can boast about from their 2016 ISL campaign, but the performances of midfielder Lenny Rodrigues could be something that they can be proud of. The 28-year-old was a regular under David Platt last season, and the midfielder had another good season for the Stallions. Rodrigues ended the season on a good note, scoring in their comeback win over Delhi Dynamos. His energy was particularly crucial in that game. In the next game against NorthEast United, he almost gave them the all-important lead when he struck the woodwork. However all his good work was in vain as Pune City succumbed to a late NorthEast United winner.

Jerry Lalrinzuala (Chennaiyin FC)

Jerry Lalrinzuala is yet another full-back and yet another player from the North East that has made a mark in the ISL. Signed from the AIFF Elite Academy, Jerry impressed coach Marco Materazzi during Chennaiyin’s pre-season. Later, the Italian couldn’t hold back from involving the talented player in his starting line-up. Once he did, the 18-year-old didn’t give Materazzi the chance to change his mind. Brilliant in attack and defensively sound, Jerry was a perfect addition to the Chennaiyin defense and managed to keep marquee player John Arne Riise out of the starting eleven for some time. The youngster scored a sublime free-kick to open the scoring against FC Goa, thus showcasing the variety of skills he had under his belt. Chennaiyin might not have made it to the semifinals, but might just have presented India with a top-notch football player for the future.