Troubled India confident they can tame Lions

When the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season ended on April 12, little did its players expect that it would not resume in September.

- David Lee

Instead, some of them have found themselves temporarily unemployed. After a 15-year contract between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and commercial partners Football Sports Development Limited ended, India’s Supreme Court on April 26 asked the AIFF not to renew the deal until its order, as there is an ongoing case to implement a new constitution for the AIFF on Oct 12.

As a result, the new ISL season can start only in December, leading to significant ramifications for its players and the national team.

In August, ISL runners-up Bengaluru suspended the salaries of first-team players and staff.

Although there was to be a U-turn in September, Bengaluru captain and Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri, who has 155 caps and 95 international goals, wrote on social media: “Everybody in the Indian football ecosystem is worried, hurt, scared about the uncertainty we are faced with.”

On the international front, India coach Khalid Jamil has to work with players who have not had many competitive minutes in the last six months.