Top five young Indian forwards to watch out for in ISL 2022-23

The strikers will hope to bag a lot of goals in the process helping their respective clubs.

Indian football is gearing up for the 2022-23 season of the Indian Super League (ISL). The premier football league of India will kick-off on October 7 with Kerala Blasters clashing against East Bengal at Kochi. Last year’s ISL Shield and ISL Trophy winners Jamshedpur FC and Hyderabad FC respectively hope to build on their newfound success in the upcoming season.

There will be a lot of domestic and foreign players that will attract attention. People from across the country will either watch the games on television or streaming platforms or spectate from the stadiums. A lot of eyes will be on Indian forwards who will hope to collectively perform better than last year.

Here is a look at the top five young Indian forwards to watch out for in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season:

Kiyan Nassiri

Kiyan Nassiri burst onto the Indian football scene last year after scoring a stunning match-winning hat-trick for ATK Mohun Bagan in the Kolkata derby against SC East Bengal in a 3-1 win. The Mariners were a goal down when the striker came onto the pitch from the bench and scored a 31-minute hat-trick, with two of the three goals coming in injury time.

Interestingly, he is the son of former East Bengal striker Jamshid Nassiri and currently plays for rivals ATK Mohun Bagan. The 21-year-old has an important season ahead of him where he will hope to enjoy more gametime. He scored twice in four 2022 Durand Cup appearances recently.

Joby Justin

Joby Justin could make his resurgence in Indian football. The striker has been on the periphery in the last few seasons. However, the Chennaiyin FC forward will be hoping to shine in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League.

The 28-year-old former Indian international has made 13 appearances in the ISL overall, scoring a goal and making one assist. Therefore, he will hope to enjoy more gametime and could use his chances to leave a mark.

Devendra Murgaonkar

Devendra Murgaonkar is known for his celebration which is inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo. The FC Goa forward is a smart operator who can finish with aplomb and terrorise defenders with his positioning. He has 32 appearances overall in the ISL with three goals and two assists.

His five goals in six appearances were crucial in helping the Gaurs win the 2021 Durand Cup. The upcoming edition will be an important season for Murgaonkar, who will hope to impress.

Ishan Pandita

Ishan Pandita had built a reputation for making an instant impact from the bench after scoring late goals for Jamshedpur FC in the past matches. While his finishing qualities are excellent, the striker will be looking to showcase more of his traits in the upcoming season.

He has seven overall goals in 28 Indian Super League matches. The 24-year-old will hope to feature regularly in the JFC starting line up and make a case for a regular position in the number #9 role for club and country.

Sivasakthi Narayanan

Sivasakthi Narayanan will be one of the key Indian forwards to watch out for in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League. His performances for Bengaluru FC of late have been very impressive. The 21-year-old scored five goals in six appearances to help the Blues lift the 2022 Durand Cup trophy.

He also scored in the final against Mumbai City FC, which further cements his ability to deliver under pressure. The striker only played 60 minutes last season which will likely change in the 2022-23 season. It will be interesting to see how Sivasakthi uses the opportunities that will come his way.