Bijoy Varghese inherits Sandesh Jhingan's retired No. 21 shirt at Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters have brought their No. 21 jersey out of retirement, just under two years after announcing the number previously donned by Sandesh Jhingan was being withdrawn as a tribute to the departing club captain. Sporting the No. 21 on his back for the upcoming Indian Super League season will be yet another centre-back the young Bejoy Varghese who is fresh off extending his contract with the Kochi-based club till 2025. Interestingly, the club decided to make the deal public on Thursday, April 21.

The 22-year-old defender from Thiruvananthapuram has been in the Blasters set-up since 2021 playing for their reserves in the Kerala Premier League before graduating to the first team during the 2021-22 ISL season making five appearances during the campaign in which Blasters reached the final. Blasters will be hoping Bijoy will replicate the performances of Jhingan, who arrived at the club as a 21-year-old in 2014 and helped the club reach two finals becoming a huge fan favourite and the club captain in the process.

Jhingan left the club with the intention of pursuing a career abroad in 2020 when the club also ‘permanently’ retired his jersey number to honour his contributions. Jhingan has since then returned to play for ATK Mohun Bagan in the ISL after a brief stint with Croatian club HNK Sibenik. In February 2022, Jhingan had courted controversy for his sexist remarks following a 2-2 draw against Blasters and the Blasters supporters had demanded the club to bring back No. 21 denouncing the India international. And Blasters have now obliged handing over that number to young Bijoy. ‘I am really excited that I am going to be a part of Blasters for a long time. I am really happy to be working under coach Ivan (Vukomanovic)