Could the blossoming Anirudh Thapa & Apuia partnership at Mohun Bagan be an ominous sign for Indian football team?

Strong Mohun Bagan SG link rising dependence among two players

Mohun Bagan appear to have adapted to the tactics of Sergio Lobera admirably quickly, allowing them to soar to the top of the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) table after five matches. The Spaniard has been able to implement his possession-heavy, attacking football tactics with relative ease because of the quality of players at his disposal at the defending ISL champions.

Mohun Bagan have totally dominated the majority of their matches so far, averaging a 68.8% possession per game in the ISL. Lobera’s system has positively reflected on the performances of many players. Jamie Maclaren is flying high with seven goals in five appearances so far, looking set for the ISL Golden Boot. However, the Spanish gaffer has also helped improve quite a few Indian players in the midfield.

In particular, a key reason for Mohun Bagan dominating matches so well under Lobera is because of their midfield pivot of Anirudh Thapa and Lalengmawia Ralte. The two midfielders have started all matches in the deeper midfield roles, being given the responsibility of regaining possession and also distributing the ball around quickly to maintain a fast tempo for Mohun Bagan.

Thapa and Apuia both seem to be thriving in Mohun Bagan’s current possession-heavy style which also gives them more importance in terms of dictating how the team operates. A positive sign for Thapa and Ralte’s impressive work is that it is also coinciding just before the return to action for the Indian football team.

The Blue Tigers are poised for their first match of 2026 when they host Hong Kong in their final 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier on 31 March. With Khalid Jamil yet to find his ideal midfield duo, perhaps there is a strong argument for the Mohun Bagan pivot being the ideal option for the Blue Tigers, as here we look at the reasons why.

Soaring chemistry levels

In the last three matches for the Indian football team, Khalid Jamil started Apuia in two of those and mostly paired him with Nikhil Prabhu. However, the combination didn’t really work out because the two players aren’t really that accustomed to playing with each other – be it at club level or at the national team because of little training period with the Blue Tigers.

Prabhu hasn’t really impressed for India in recent matches under Jamil either, and there is now a strong argument for Thapa to make a return to the Blue Tigers squad for the Hong Kong clash. A big advantage to potentially playing Thapa and Apuia in the midfield pivot for India is that they are at least aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to operate as a duo together with efficiency.

Their soaring chemistry levels at Mohun Bagan in the 2025-26 season has allowed Thapa and Apuia to operate as a vibrant duo, helping the Mariners dominate possession with an iron fist. The two can definitely maintain their efficiency for the national team, bringing more composure and reliability to the Indian midfield line and helping them put up a stronger show in the midfield battle.

Experience factor

The upside to bringing back Anirudh Thapa to the Indian football team is that his presence would amplify the experience factor within the squad. The 28-year-old midfielder has made 59 appearances for the Blue Tigers in his international career, and has been playing for the national team since 2017.

Thapa definitely boasts more seniority over the likes of Nikhil Prabhu or Macarton Nickson, and has the better chance of holding his own against challenging foreign opposition players. Similarly, Apuia has also developed a lot of international experience after featuring for the Indian football team for many years now.

As a result, the increase in experience factor can definitely be a boon for the Indian football team. The in-form Mohun Bagan duo have the composure to hold their own against pressure, with their passing ability, defensive qualities and composed nature in the midfield can help India move the ball through midfield with more efficiency.

Creative threat

Another notable positive to playing the Anirudh Thapa-Apuia midfield pivot for India is that it will also enhance the Blue Tigers’ creative threat. That is because both midfielders boast genuine creativity when it comes to their playing style, having the innovation and intelligence to slip through clever final third passes to send their forwards through on goal.

Thapa has already bagged two assists in the 2025-26 ISL campaign, being among the leading figures in the assists charts. The 28-year-old has proven his quality with unpredictable passes that have helped create goals for Maclaren and left defenders bamboozled because of the impressive execution of Thapa’s passes. Moreover, Anirudh is also quite impressive with set-pieces, being able to send in inviting corners – which can lead to major chances for India as well.

Apuia can also be really clever with his forward passes, having a wide range of passing qualities that can help with his side’s build-up play and accelerate their attacking pattern too. The Indian team can probably expect a smoother flow of passing from their half to the opposition half by having two proactive midfielders like Thapa & Apuia, which can benefit their chances of being combative in the midfield battle and also taking the fight to their opponents with the two in the team.

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