Beyond Bhaichung: five other faces of Indian football

Alvito D’Cunha

When D’Cunha sent the killer through-ball for Mike Okoro to score East Bengal’s first in the ASEAN Cup final, he was only doing what he had been chosen to do. The Goan first hit the big time with the IFA XI touring South Africa, where the Indians lost all three of their matches. But the 25-year-old’s dribbling and passing skills in the midfield was impressive enough for South Africa’s premier division team Manning Rangers to make him an offer. He stayed at home and became the player of the tournament.

Abhishek Yadav

The striker with the Midas touch. Tall and lanky and just 23, Yadav’s forte is his sense of off-the-ball play, which he uses to good effect for his club Mahindra United in the Indian NFL. Came to the forefront first when he fired in India’s winner at the 2002 LG Cup final against Vietnam in extra time having come in towards the end of the second half. Is currently one of the bright young hopes and could be the right partner for Baichung Bhutia with whom he partnered successfully at both the LG Cup and in the Asiad.

Bimal Parihar

16-year-old Parihar is from Darjeeping in northern Bengal, close to where Baichung Bhutia hails from. The diminutive striker was the toast of the u-18 Milk Cup side after proving his opportunistic abilities by weaving around defenders to strike against Dynamo Kiev in the shock win and in the 2-1 quarters loss to River Plate. Though only just over five-and-a-half feet, he is blessed with the gift of a ‘nose for goal’ and is being thought of as a probable key player in the post-TFA convocation club auctions.

Syed Rahim Nabi

Another who got an offer from Manning Rangers, this time for scoring a hat-trick in a 4-3 loss. The 19-year-old has since been hampered by a niggling knee injury that has rendered his form indifferent often through the past year, but his coach says that if he can go through the required operation soon enough, he should be able to recover his form. With Sporting at the moment, the striker was in the news at the end of last season when the club ‘kidnapped’ him to prevent him from signing for Mohun Bagan.