Field Vision

Farukh hasn’t been part of NT setup since his ACL injury in 2021.

On Saturday at the Kalinga Stadium, Odisha FC went into half-time with a 1-0 lead against Chennaiyin FC in the opening match of the ISL 2024-25 season. However, the Marina Machans turned the game upside down in the second half, courtesy of the most unlikely goal scorer – 27-year-old left-winger Farukh Chaudhary.

Farukh, who will turn 28 in November, slotted home past the stranded Amrinder Singh after a neat cross from Connor Shields.

His happiness was compounded within just three minutes, as a mistake from Amrinder and a few lucky deflections made it a brace from the former national team forward. Chennaiyin eventually won the match 2-3.

For fans of Indian football, and especially those who followed Farukh’s career in the last few years, Saturday’s performance was a transformative one for the Maharasthra-native footballer.

Always considered the ‘next big thing’ for club and country, Farukh Chaudhary was part of a group of supremely talented Indian attackers that broke through during the 2019-20 season.

However, while other members of that group, including Ashique Kuruniyan, Lallianzuala Chhangte, and Sahal Abdul Samad have gone on to enjoy established careers for ISL teams as well as the Blue Tigers, Farukh is yet to deliver on the promise that he showed when he signed for his hometown club Mumbai City FC in 2020.

After making his ISL debut with the Kerala Blasters, Farukh was drafted by Jamshedpur FC in 2017. Despite his young age and inexperience, the forward made seven goal contributions in 44 appearances.

His promising shows prompted Mumbai City FC to take a chance on him, while he had already made his national team debut in the 2018 SAFF Championships.

However, that is when tragedy struck the then-24-year-old as he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the SAFF Championships 2021 match against Nepal. The horrific injury effectively ended his season, and he was out for almost a year as a result of the setback that threatened to derail his up-and-coming career.

The perseverance and hard work put in by Farukh, assisted by the national team physio Dr Gigy George, allowed the winger to return to the pitch for his new club Jamshedpur FC, having been released by Mumbai City.

Almost two years after the ACL injury threatened to prematurely cut short his career, Farukh rebuilt it at the very place where he had gotten his footballing breakout in Jamshedpur.

Since returning in the ISL 2022-23 season, he made 16 appearances for Jamshedpur FC, getting some much-required match fitness. He even scored in the Super Cup game against Gokulam Kerala, marking his first goal since the injury.

Farukh was in decent form last season as well, with four-goal contributions across all competitions for Chennayin FC.

However, he has started this season on fire, already scoring more than he managed in his last two league seasons. Fans and neutrals alike will be pleased to see the talented player return to the pitch and do what he does best – play the beautiful game.

From tragedy to triumph, should Farukh Chaudhary be in the next national team squad?

The Indian national team will next be in action in the Tri-Nations Series, where they will face Vietnam and Lebanon on October 9 and 12 respectively.

India’s options in the left wing are limited to the East Bengal duo of Naorem Mahesh Singh and Nandha Kumar Sekar. While Naorem has been a consistent performer for both India and his club in the last few years, Sekar has been a relative newcomer to the national team squad, with just three appearances.

While the Tamil Nadu-born forward has five goals in ISL 2023-24, his inexperience might be an issue for Manolo Marquez to consider as he travels with the Indian squad to Vietnam.

While the Tri-Nations Series is by no means one of the primary trophy targets for Marquez, it will certainly be an opportunity to test the players in overseas conditions in front of a passionate and hostile crowd.

Farukh Chaudhary, with eight caps to his name, will bring in slightly more experience and stability than Nandha Kumar Sekar in the upcoming tournament. Sekar has also been frequently deployed on the right side of midfield in his club games, and Farukh is more natural among the two when it comes to charging down the left side of the pitch.

While Farukh has not been called up to the Indian squad since his ACL injury in 2021, he has been consistent in the ISL since his return, showing his physical fitness and technical skills in the last two seasons. Even though he is not a massive goal threat himself, Farukh has an ability to unlock even the strongest of defences with his unique skillsets.

Therefore, Manolo Marquez will not be amiss to consider giving Farukh Chaudhary a much-delayed but deserved call-up to the national team fold when India announces the squads for the Tri-Nations Series in October.