Some sporting journeys are remarkable, some inspiring, some jaw dropping and some riveting. But Indian defender Anas Edathodika's journey so far is a mix of it all. Hailing from a small city of Malappuram in Kerala, Edathodika’s rise to the top of footballing charts is nothing short of stunning.

Though small, Malappuram has a rich history of football to boast of. The city is termed the original capital of Indian football, where the game took birth and was played in plenty during British rule. Kottapadi Maidan, now the Malappuram Sports Council Stadium, played host to numerous games between the natives, who took the field barefoot, and the British. Coming from a city that breathed football, it wasn’t too late till Edathodika caught the fever and jumped into it.

Beginning his first real tryst with football, Anas, a tenth grader then, became a part of the Malappuram U14s. But things started turning for him when he joined the football team of the NSS College, Manjeri, and groomed his skills under Dr PM Sudhir Kumar.

There are no I-League or second division clubs in Kerala and, hence, the dream of pursuing football professionally comes true for very few. Edathodika, as a reason, took to life the hard way where he drove an autorickshaw for Rs 180 per day alongside his football training as he had to strike a balance between his dream and contributing towards running his household. Coming from a humble background did not really help.

Life-changing advice

But, as they say, hard work eventually pays off. It seemed it did for Edathodika as well in 2007. While playing an inter-collegiate game, a tall, lanky midfielder caught the attention of former international and the then India U-19 goalkeeping coach Feroz Sherif. What followed was life-changing advice as Sherif prompted Anas to attend trials for the then second division side Mumbai FC.

Edathodika impressed Dave Booth, Mumbai FC’s English coach, who then drafted him into the side. Booth, a former full-back, saw some peculiar attributes of a defender in Edathodika and asked him to move a third back on the pitch. Anas did not disappoint and led Mumbai FC to promotion.

One good news followed the other. Edathodika was now offered a three-year contract worth Rs 60 lakh and for someone who was earning Rs 180 per day, it was absolutely massive and his life took a huge turn, again. Edathodika did not let it get to his head and went on working hard and contributing to his team’s success. The meteoric growth of Edathodika as a player in these four years was such that Pune FC came calling and he nodded in agreement.

It was another big step in Anas’s career as he went on to become a key member of the Pune FC side that came close to lifting the I-League title. Anas was soon rewarded for his performances as he became the first Indian Pune FC player of the Year for the 2012-'13 season. It was the first sign of recognition that reignited the player within.

Anas continued to do wonderfully well for Pune FC, but was constantly ignored for the national team to the surprise of many. Maybe it was down to politics or other non-footballing reasons unknown. It could not have been for footballing reasons that Anas was not a part of the Indian squad, which was always thin at the back. This was also not the only injustice he faced in 2014.

Injury woes

The Indian Super League was launched amid huge fanfare, glitz and glamour, with Indian players getting a chance to rub shoulders with some international super stars. But it was not to be for Edathodika as the defender got injured and was looked over by the franchises with it being just a three-month show.

But the qualities that make Anas, Anas – hardwork, dedication and the right mind – is what kept the warrior going as he worked his way back to fitness and into the drafts for the 2015 season. In what came as a bargain, Edathodika was snapped by the Delhi Dynamos for Rs 40 lakh to represent them in the second edition.

The underrated, unrecognised warrior got his second chance and, boy, did he make it count. Edathodika, alongside John Arne Riise, formed one of the finest centre-back pairings and took Delhi Dynamos into the semi-finals. Edathodika continued to show his quality and his attributes, and went on to become one of the best Indian defenders in the league.

But as destiny had it, Edathodika got his elusive national team call only to see him being injured again. Despite his hard effort, he had to give the friendlies and the World Cup qualifiers a miss. Not just unjust, the journey has also been a bit unlucky for the hardworking man. Given India coach Stephen Constantine mentioned Edathodika would walk in his team if fit, it was a bigger blow for the Keralite.

Edathodika yet again worked hard on his fitness and regained shape to go ahead and train with A-League side Central Coast Mariners ahead of the 2016 season of the ISL, where he impressed the coaches. He has yet again impressed in the 2016 edition of the ISL, bagging two Hero-of-the-Match awards in two of Delhi’s 2-0 victories on the trot upon his comeback. Edathodika has added steel to the back and propelled Delhi to the top of the tree.

One of the best

Among the leading Indian central defenders, we have the likes of Arnab Mondal, Sandesh Jhingan, Augustin Fernandes, Dharamraj Ravanan and Gourmangi Singh. Anas, on current form would be a first-choice ahead of any of these big names. While Mondal has had a downfall, Edathodika has continued to rise and improve. Jhingan, another great talent, seems to have lost his way with his different teams playing him across different positions in defence. Having largely played as a full-back in the ISL, Jhingan has developed that mentality and becomes rash or gives in tackles too easy or even goes to the extent of rising high up.

Putting all these points into perspective, Edathodika clearly wins the show. He would need to keep his injuries in check, with the 29-year-old not getting any younger. Another attribute Edathodika needs to add to his game is playing the ball well. He seldom plays the ball from the back and is also rash at times. If he manages to work on these aspects, it is only a matter of time before he finds himself in the national team. For a man who is a workhorse, an inspiration and someone who is ready to sacrifice himself for the team, hopefully, he will get his due sometime soon.