Sandesh Jhinghan
-
Intro:
Sandesh Jhingan is an Indian International football player who plays for the Kerala Blasters of the ISL. He holds the spot in the team as a Defender. He plays at the centre-back position in the backline.
-
Early Days:
Sandesh Jighan was born on 21st July 1993 in Chandigarh, Punjab. Jhingan obtained his football training from St. Stephen’s Academy. While with the academy, Jhingan helped the aspect attain the South-East Asian finals of the Manchester United Premier Cup.
He additionally represented the Chandigarh nation team on the under-19 level, supporting them win the B.C. Roy Trophy.
Sandesh Jinghan faced many rejections from 2nd and 3rd Division clubs early o in his career. But this was the phase that toughened him for the next stage.
Hard work and persistence resulted in a maiden call-up to attend trials at I-League 2nd Division side United Sikkim in November 2011. After a successful trial, Sandesh Jhinghan got an opportunity to practice with Indian football legends like Baichung Bhutia and Renedy Singh.
A year later he got an opportunity to represent the senior side in I-league 2012 in United Sikkim’s first match of the season against Salgaocar. Jhinghan performed extremely well in the game and he was on the field for an entire 90-minute match.
He scored the winning goal for United Sikkim. United Sikkim failed to make a mark in the I-League 2012 but the season saw the rise of Sandesh Jhinghan.
After the end of 2012-2013 season, Sandesh Jhinghan signed a contract with IMG Reliance to be the part of Indian Super League which was to get kick-started in 2014.
He was struggling to get the clubs but somehow he managed to get into Mumbai club as he made his debut against Pune in 2013.
-
The Rise in ISL:
Sandesh Jhingan was selected in the second round of the 2014 ISL Inaugural Domestic Draft by the Kerala Blasters. He did not appear in the opening game for them but from the second game, he made sure that he was a constant player in the squad.
For featuring in 14 games and for his fine performances he was judged as “Emerging Player of the Season.” After the 2014 ISL season, Jhingan signed with Sporting Goa on loan for the 2014–15 I-League.
In 2015 Sandesh Jinghan was the highest-paid Indian in the ISL as he received more than 10 Million.
Despite being partnered at times with former Spanish international Carlos Marchena and former Newcastle United defender Peter Ramage, Jhingan and the Blasters conceded a league-worst 27 goals and finished last in the table.
In 2016 due to pressure from fans, Sandesh Jinghan was returned by Kerala Blaster. He did not perform to his prime potential but he managed a better performance than 2015.
Sandesh Jhingan was already establishing himself into an icon at Kerala Blasters FC. Before the beginning of the 2017–18 ISL season, the club was already in talks with Jhingan for a possible contract extension.
Sandesh Jhinghan was reportedly signed till 2020 for ₹38 million. In May 2020 the franchise parted way with him on mutual interest. The franchise retired jersey no.21 in tribute to him.
-
The Dream for India:
After his victory for the state group at the B.C. Roy Trophy, Sandesh Jhingan was called up to the India under-19 side. Wounds, notwithstanding, implied that Jhingan couldn’t join in.
Sandesh Jhingan was then called up to the senior India side in February 2013 for their preliminary camp however indeed an injury kept him off the group.
Jhingan made his international debut at this level in India’s opening match against the United Arab Emirates on 15 September 2014. He started the match and gave his own goal as India lost 5–0.
Jhingan made his senior universal presentation for India against Nepal in the nation’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Jhingan began the match and played the full an hour and a half as India won 2–0.
Sandesh Jhingan then scored his first goal for India on 29 March 2016 against Turkmenistan. His objective was the one and only one however for India as they fell 2–1.
Jhingan then scored his second goal for India on 7 June 2016 against Laos. India won 6-1 in the game.
In 2018 Intercontinental Cup, Sandesh Jhingan was a wall at the back for the Indian group. The Indiandefense guided by him got 3 clean sheets out of 4 matches and they won the competition by vanquishing Kenya in the Final.
The 2019 AFC Asian Cup was where Sandesh Jhingan performed at his maximum capacity during his initial 5 years with the national side. In the very first match of the competition against Thailand, India crushed them by a score of 4–1.
Jhingan’s presentation during the match was adulated by football lovers.
-
Interesting Facts of Sandesh Jhinghan:
- He is very dangerous in corner kicks as he is very good aerially while defending and attacking.
- Sandesh started his football journey in St. Stephen’s Academy in Chandigarh and later went on to represent the Chandigarh state team soon.
- United Sikkim was his first club in his senior year in 2011 later he went on to play for Mumbai FC Sporting Goa DSK Shivajians and Bengaluru FC.
- Sandesh Jhingan made his international debut in 2015 against Nepal. Then manager Stephen Constantine gave him the opportunity. 2 years later he captained the Indian team for the Hero Tri-Nation Football Series.
- He holds the record of being the most featured Indian player in the Indian Super League. Being one of the best players in the country there is a lot of demand for the centre back. Kerala Blasters had to pay 3.8 Crores just to retain him till 2020.
- Once in an interview, Sandesh openly confessed that he loves to write. He is not embarrassed to share what he writes with the world as he himself puts up his writings on his Instagram handle.
- Sandesh also has a desire to learn every language in the world so that he can read and write in any language without any hesitation or confusion.
-
Honours and Awards by Sandesh Jinghan:
- 2014 – Emerging player of Indian Super League.
- 2014 – AIFF Emerging Footballer of the Year.
- 2014 – Football Player Association of India’s (FPAI) Best Indian Player in the Indian Super League.
- The All India Football Federation (AIFF) recommended the names of India internationals Sandesh Jhingan and N. Bala Devi to the Government of India for the 2020 Arjuna Award.
Follow Sandesh Jhinghan on Instagram: @sandesh21jinghan
Also, read about Quinton De Cock