ISL Players' Draft: Subrata Paul, Nabi to play for Mumbai

Current India goalkeeper Subrata Paul and midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi were the big signings by the Mumbai franchise on Day 1 of the two-day inaugural eight-team Hero Indian Super League domestic players draft, held in Mumbai, on Tuesday.

The other major signings for the day were defenders Nirmal Chetri and Gouramangi Singh, who were drafted by Kerala Blasters and Bengaluru franchise respectively.

A total of 32 players who played for India over the last three years are part of the two-day domestic player draft.

The international player draft will be held in mid-August.

Forty-two players were drafted on the first day while 14, who have already been signed up for the IPL-style league by franchises of Goa and the North East (seven each), were also announced on the day when seven rounds had been completed.

The remaining 42 players from a total strength of 84 will be picked by the six franchises on Wednesday.

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According to informed sources the top bracket of players will rake in Rs 80 lakh for the season while the next rung Rs 75 lakh, though the ISL organisers refused to reveal the amount for which the players drafted in have been signed for.

Paul, who has plied his trade in Denmark for a brief while in recent times, was of the opinion that the ISL would benefit the Indian national team.

"I have played a few matches in Denmark and I feel the Indian players have the ability to play in European leagues. The ISL is a good platform and there is good amount of interest among the players about it. It will also help the national team," Paul said.

Nabi, who will be Paul's team-mate in the Mumbai franchise, said it would be a challenge for him to play outside Kolkata.

"It's a challenge for the young Indian players. ISL will be a great platform for them and the fans will also see good stuff," he told reporters.

India midfielder Lenny Rodrigues was the first to be drafted by Team Pune while his national team partner in the midfield, 'double cylinder' Mehtab Hussain, will travel down south to play for Kochi Blasters FC.

This will be the first time both Lenny and Mehtab will ply their trade for clubs outside of their hometowns, Goa and Kolkata respectively.

At the end of the seven rounds of Draft Day 1, the list of the drafted players by each of the eight Hero Indian Super League clubs is as follows:

Team Pune: Lenny Rodrigues, Dharmaraj Ravanan, Ashutosh Mehta, Joaquim Abranches, Pritam Kotal, Manish Maithani, Israil Gurung.

Team Mumbai: Subrata Paul, Lalrindika Ralte, Syed Rahim Nabi, Raju Gaikwad, Subash Singh, Ram Malik, Deepak Mondal.

Kerala Blasters FC: Mehtab Hussain, Sandesh Jhingan, Ishfaq Ahmed, Gurwinder Singh, Nirmal Chettri, Sushant Matthew, Godwin Franco.

Team Bengaluru: Harmanjot Khabra, Dhanachandra Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Gouramangi Singh, Shilton Paul, Denson Devadas, Khelemba Meitei.

Atletico de Kolkata: Cavin Lobo, Arnab Mondal, Denzil Franco, Rakesh Masih, Mohammed Rafique, Mohammed Rafi, Biswajit Saha.

Delhi Dynamos FC: Francis Fernandes, Robert Lalthamuana, Naoba Singh, Shylo Malswamtluanga, Shouvik Ghosh, Shouvik Chakraborty, Munmun Lugun.

Team Goa: Laxmikant Kattimani, Debabrata Roy, Gabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Jewel Raja Shaikh, Alwyn George, Narayan Das.

North East United FC: Kunzang Bhutia, Jibon Singh, Durga Boro, Aibor Khongjee, Zodingliana Ralte, TP Rehnesh, Boithang Haokip.