It’s been an eventful season for the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). The 2017-18 edition saw teams fight tooth and nail for the ultimate glory. Breath-taking goals, edge-of-the-seat action, tactical masterclasses by the coaches and inspiring individual performances were the hallmarks of a memorable year for Indian football.

While Chennaiyin FC went on to cap off a brilliant campaign with their second title win in four seasons, many players from across teams gave a good account of themselves over the five months. Now with the domestic circuit in India taking a breather, the focus will soon shift to its national team as they begin their preparations for the all-important AFC Asian Cup 2019.

The Indian team is gearing up to participate in the Hero Intercontinental Cup, which commences from June 1. The Blue Tigers will go up against Kenya, New Zealand and Chinese Tapei. Head coach Stephen Constantine is expected to announce his squad in a few days. While national team regulars like Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Udanta Singh and Anas Edathodika are all expected to be called up for duty, we take a look at a few players who impressed with their displays throughout the season and could also find a place in Constantine’s side.

GOALKEEPERS

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is undoubtedly the Indian number one, and for good reason. His quick reflexes and shot-stopping abilities make him one of the best in the business. But not far are a few keepers who put in an inspiring shift for their respective clubs this season.

The likes of Karanjit Singh, Vishal Kaith, Amrinder Singh and Subrata Paul have enjoyed quality time between the sticks helping their sides to wins on many occasions.

Karanjit was a vital cog in John Gregory’s Chennaiyin, coming up with match-winning performances throughout the season - most notably in the tie against the Kerala Blasters in February where he thwarted Courage Pekuson’s penalty with a fine save. Paul was influential in helping Jamshedpur FC to a respectable fifth place in their debut campaign. Amrinder helped Mumbai City FC save face many a times, while Kaith was a key member in the FC Pune City side that made the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Though most of these players have found themselves within Constantine’s radar in the past, having been called up for the national camp, none – except Paul – have made their national team debut yet. The Intercontinental Cup could be a good platform for Constantine to test the bench strength of his men between the sticks.

DEFENCE

The Indian defence has seen a radical change since Constantine took over the reins for the second time in 2015. The Englishman has done well to pump in young blood and purpose to the backline and has shown immense faith in the duo of Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika. While the two have not disappointed and have stitched together a string of fine performances for the Blue Tigers, the likes of Rahul Bheke, Souvik Chakrabarti and Subhasish Bose could add a much-needed fight for a place in the playing XI in the national side.

Bheke and Bose have been an essential part of Albert Roca’s Bengaluru FC. The Spaniard has used their versatility to good effect making them play across the backline depending on the situation, something that Constantine would be happy to have in his armoury.

Chakrabarti, meanwhile, was an asset to Steve Coppell at Jamshedpur with the Kolkata-born full-back putting in a quality shift both in the defence and attack.

ATTACK

Unlike their defence, the Indian attack has not seen a sea change over the years. It continues to revolve around their talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua, with the likes of Balwant Singh and even Sumeet Passi at times doing a cameo.

But what has excited many is the emergence of a young and confident midfield that has flourished under the expertise that Constantine brings to the table.

While Rowllin Borges, Udanta Singh and Jackichand Singh have done well to provide the much-needed creativity and pace in midfield, the likes of Adil Khan, Dhanpal Ganesh, Anirudh Thapa and Isaac Vanmalsawma could prove to be the prefect men to bolster this attack.

While the Blue Tigers under Constantine have proved their worth by winning matches and ensuring that they seal a place in the 2019 edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the upcoming Intercontinental Cup will be a perfect platform for the side to start weeding out any chinks as they prepare for what would be their biggest test in the near future.