Why Do Indian Strikers Find It Difficult to Break Into the ISL?

Demand for OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) players is rising following the Indian football team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup qualifiers third round and their struggles in the Asian Cup. Having failed to score in the last three games against Thailand, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong, respectively, the team’s lack of attacking threat has been exposed.

Beyond the absence of a clear footballing identity, the bigger issue is the lack of a national breakthrough by players who understand the proper fundamentals of striking. This can be attributed to coaching biases, over-reliance on foreign players, and inadequate game time for Indian strikers. The problem runs deeper, though. Players like Manvir Singh, Ishan Pandita, Rahul KP, and Rahim Ali are rarely used as traditional number 9s—instead being pushed to wide, dropped into midfield, or deployed as wingers.

The Upbringing of Indian Youth

There is no universal way of playing football. A team can play ‘off the ball’ or ‘on the ball,’ but the ultimate truth is you have to score one more than your opponent. When Indians adapted the game, they failed to build a proper culture and instead sought security. Just like finding a secure job, playing football became too influenced by securing the game. Most of the time, players are taught how to stop opponents from scoring rather than how to collectively penetrate and create chances.

Sunil Chhetri, I.M. Vijayan, and Baichung Bhutia scored plenty of goals, but how many came from coordinated team play? The only way a team can achieve its goal through opponent errors makes you dependent on moments you cannot control. Yes, using tools like pressing, marking, and overloads can force errors, but only when you know how to use these tools athletically and scientifically.

Though clubs now apply classroom culture to groom players through video analysis, building a proper culture takes time. Players cannot achieve the four corners—technical, physical, tactical, and psychological awareness—in one or two seasons, especially in a country where football has not been developed with a futuristic vision. There are exceptions, but without a systematic pattern, exceptions remain exceptions.

Physical Development Doesn’t Align with True Potential

Explosive pace, strength, core stability, agility, balance, recovery, and injury prevention are all essential for strikers. Yet, academies struggle to promote drills according to this checklist. A youth academy coach in Kolkata blamed authorities for imposing short-term leagues in the name of youth development. Each team must play games every two or three days, forcing club management to rush training schedules where . Players and clubs cannot risk themselves under such conditions.

Health facilities are among the factors that discourage players from high-intensity football. Ground conditions create fear of injury, as unbalanced, sloppy fields are not ideal for training or playing at a professional level. In cricket and Olympic sports, institutions like the National Cricket Academy, Target Olympic Podium Scheme, and Sports Authority of India offer scientific training, injury recovery, nutrition support, and residential scholarships. The AIFF has not taken similar steps to elevate the game.

Differences in Training Procedures

Strikers focus on lower-body strength—squats, deadlifts, and core drills—to win duels and hold their ground. Even amateur players hit the gym early, especially those not genetically blessed. In India, gyms exist, but proper programs don’t. There’s no personalized planning or understanding that every human body moves and develops differently. One-size-fits-all routines simply don’t build elite players.

To improve positioning and movement patterns, strikers must drill blind-side runs, diagonal cuts, dropping into space, and reacting to second balls. Movement without the ball is rarely emphasized. Many Indian strikers just wait for the ball instead of attacking the space. Limited focus on aerial play prevents players from matching the actual definition of a striker. Target strikers train with defenders leaning on them, jumping under contact, and redirecting headers under pressure.

Improving tactical IQ is also crucial. Elite strikers are trained to read the game—when to run, where to penetrate, and how to exploit space. Indian strikers often stand and wait, lacking off-ball intelligence. The result is predictable and passive attacking play. Finally, psychological training helps players visualize the game and rehearse decisions, creating better muscle memory.

Top Clubs Chasing Instant Success

Indian Super League clubs mostly offer short-term contracts. There are no long-term contracts for managers, management, or players. Most clubs scout foreign players following this trend. Chasing instant success is a core reason. Most clubs are loss-making private entities. They can only earn through broadcasting rights, advertising, and ticket sales—all highly dependent on performance. Clubs are afraid to draft long-term goals as there’s no clarity on whether they’ll continue to exist. Though some criteria don’t apply to clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Bengaluru FC, and Mumbai City.

The league’s uncertainty, as FSDL has not extended contracts or declared intentions, exemplifies why clubs don’t project visionary objectives.