Making Maharashtra proud

Kolhapur boy Aniket Jadhav was spotted during a trial in Mumbai two years back when former India junior team coach Nicolai Adam was handed the task of building India’s team for the maiden Fifa U-17 World Cup in India.

Adam and All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) director of scouting Abhishek Yadav, who is also from Mumbai, noticed Jadhav’s skills and he was shortlisted. Since then, he has been a regular in the Indian junior team even though Adam in March this year was replaced by Portuguese coach Luis Norton de Matos. The lanky striker has been in fine goal-scoring form for India in the preparatory games in India and overseas for the mega event. He eventually made it into the 21-member final squad for the World Cup as a striker along with Rahim Ali.

Even as the World Cup starts on October 6 with India taking on USA in their opening game in New Delhi, Jadhav is a star already back home. Posters of him sporting the number 11 jersey has created the buzz in celebrations and football tournaments in Kolhapur during this festive season in the southern Maharashtrian city.

Jadhav is the lone face from Maharashtra in the 21-player squad. Namit Deshpande, a US national, has roots in Maharashtra and is also in the squad but has rosen up the ranks while playing in the USA.

“His posters were regular here in pandals during Ganpati and Navratri festivals. The posters also created a hype during annual DSO tournaments here. He is already a big star here,” said Manik Mandlik, secretary of the Kolhapur District Football Association (KDFA). The association is affiliated with the Western India Football Association (WIFA), which oversees football in Maharashtra.

Jadhav’s rise has given hope to football in Kolhapur, which has often shown an affinity for the sport and even hosted I-League games in the past. “Our district has produced wrestlers, kabaddi players and even swimmers, now football is getting the due attention which it deserved after cricket,” Mandlik added.

India have been drawn in Group A alongside USA, Colombia and Ghana, and will face USA on October 6, followed by Colombia and Ghana on October 9 and October 12 respectively at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

Jadhav, who can play on either wing and also in the centre as a striker, was among the 10 Indians selected by former Germany and Bayern Munich great Paul Brietner to represent the nation at the prestigious FC Bayern Munich Youth Cup in 2014. He also played successfully in the the BRICS U-16 Football Tournament in Goa last year.

The Maharashtra boy started his football journey under Jaideep Angiwal of Krida Prabodhini school in Pune. Thereafter, he joined Pune FC, where he joined the Under-15 side before progressing to the Under-17s. “I went to represent Pune FC in an Adidas-organised (FC Bayern Munich Youth Cup) in New Delhi, (where) I won the golden boot award which gave me confidence. Later I joined Aiff Academy and got to learn how to be professional footballer,” Jadhav told AIFF.

The state boy is determined to do well in India’s maiden Fifa World Cup appearance. “My dream is to take care of my parents well and keep them smiling. With regards to the World Cup, we want to give our best,” added Jadhav. who also likes to play Table Tennis.