CHENNAI: They say age is just a number but that theory is often disproved in football. Thirty is hardly the age to have your breakthrough season in football, but there are few other apt terms to describe what Pratik Chaudhari is going through. The well-travelled central defender joined Mumbai City FC this season and has seamlessly slotted into the heart of coach Jorge Costa’s defence. In his fourth ISL season — the previous three were spent on the fringes at Kerala Blasters, Delhi Dynamos and Jamshedpur FC — he has already played all seven of Mumbai City’s games, clocking a total of 588 minutes.
Half an hour more in their next match and he will better his total for the entirety of the last season. He has also managed something he has never done in the ISL before — score.Maybe it’s just the fact that the former Mohun Bagan player got to return home after multiple stints elsewhere.
“It feels amazing playing in front of my home ground,” he said. “My friends and family come in and watch matches now. That’s both extra motivation and responsibility. Playing for your home team, it gives me immense happiness to represent that badge.”
Pratik also credits his coach Costa — himself a Champions League-winning central defender — of improving his game. “When I got the opportunity to be here with this team, I knew that the coach was a great player, a Champions League winner and a legend back in Portugal,” he said.
“I knew that once I come here, I would get to learn a lot from him and that’s what’s happening now. I get to learn a lot from him in matches and in training sessions, the finer points of being a good defender.”
The season hasn’t gone according to plan for Mumbai City with just one win coming so far. The latest of their four draws came against Kerala Blasters on Thursday.
But despite suffering a number of injuries, they’ve managed to keep touch with the top four. Pratik again credits Costa with guiding the team through their injury crisis. “Injuries, it’s not in our hands,” he said. “The coach, he trusts each player a lot. He had enough trust in us to go with an all-Indian backline.”
Pratik does not want to delve into predictions but he believes his team still has a good chance of making the top four, as long as they can keep on improving. As for himself, he hopes that by the end of the season, his displays would have convinced national coach Igor Stimac to give him a chance to put on the blue shirt. At 30, he knows he doesn’t have too many chances left. “Well, I’m trying my best,” he said.
“There’s not a single day that I don’t think about being there. Being in the national team is what I’ve wanted since I turned professional. I always wanted to wear that blue jersey and do well. That’s the aim and goal now, to do well and play for the country.”Result: Mumbai City FC 1 (Amine Chrmiti 77) Kerala Blasters 1 (Raphael Messi Bouli 75).