XT Review | Three Indian forwards standing tall among the foreigners in ISL

XtraTime Web Desk: Indian Super League has been a competition dominated by by the foreign forwards, but three Indians are there in the list who are no less than the foreign strikers. Here goes the list:

Sunil Chhetri (39 goals): The finest Indian to have played the Indian Super League. With 39 goals in five seasons, Chhetri is the leading Indian goalscorer of the tournament. He made his debut for Mumbai City FC in season 2 and scored seven goals that year.

ISL got its first proper taste of Chhetri’s magic when Bengaluru FC was inducted into the competition in 2017. He scored a remarkable 14 goals that campaign – the most by an Indian in an ISL season – to steer Bengaluru to the top of the table and into the final, where it eventually lost to Chennaiyin FC.

Jeje (23 goals): After Sunil Chhetri Jeje has been undoubtedly the best Indian forward in the Indian Super League. Though he hasn’t played in over a year now owing to a knee injury, Jeje remains the second-most prolific goalscorer in the ISL. With 23 goals to his name, the Mizo striker has the distinction of being the only player to have scored in every ISL season. He is sixth on the ISL’s all-time goal-scorers list.

Lallianzuala Chhangte (15 goals): Youngster Chhangte’s ISL career has been quite remarkable so far. The 22-year-old speedy winger’s first stint with the ISL came when he was loaned to NorthEast United FC by I-League side DSK Shiavajians. He made just one appearance that year but went on to play in every game for Delhi Dynamos over the next two seasons.

Chhangte was one of Dynamos’ brightest talents and his mercurial pace saw him earn a spot in 36 games, where he struck eight goals and crafted four assists.

He then made the move to Chennaiyin FC last year and enjoyed the best season of his life as he bagged seven goals, playing an integral part in the club’s run to the final. His seven strikes were the most by an Indian from open play and he finished the season as the second-highest Indian goalscorer after Chhetri.

With 15 goals from 58 games, Chhangte finds himself on the 16th spot in the ISL’s goal-scoring charts across six seasons.