Asish Rai
{{short description|Indian footballer (born 1999)}}
{{for|the Indian cricketer|Ashish Rai (cricketer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Asish Rai
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Asish Rai
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|01|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pakyong, Sikkim, India
| height = {{height|m=1.74}}
| currentclub = Mohun Bagan
| clubnumber = 44
| position = Right-back
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Pune
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Pune City
| years1 = 2017–2019
| clubs1 = Pune City B
| caps1 = 6
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2017–2019
| clubs2 = → Indian Arrows (loan)
| caps2 = 29
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2019–2022
| clubs3 = Hyderabad
| caps3 = 48
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2022–
| clubs4 = Mohun Bagan
| caps4 = 42
| goals4 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2017–2019
| nationalteam1 = India U20
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2019–2021
| nationalteam2 = India U23
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2023–
| nationalteam3 = India
| nationalcaps3 = 3
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 06:51, 24 September 2023 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 9 September 2024
}}
Asish Rai (born 27 January 1999) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan and the India national team.
Club career
= Early life and youth career =
Rai was born in Pakyong, a small village in Sikkim. He always liked to play football, even as a kid. He got interested in the game by his uncle, who played football himself.
He was selected by a local academy in his state at the age of 12. He travelled to Delhi to play in the Subroto Cup, spent a couple of years there before joining the Pune Academy which was later converted into the Pune City Academy.{{cite news|title=Coach Manolo Marquez makes sure that we are disciplined, says Hyderabad FC's Asish Rai|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/coach-manolo-marquez-makes-sure-disciplined-says-hyderabad-fc-s-ashish-rai|date=20 January 2021|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802220836/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/coach-manolo-marquez-makes-sure-disciplined-says-hyderabad-fc-s-ashish-rai|url-status=live}} Since, Pune City already had experienced players in the right-back position, they loaned him out to Indian Arrows.
= Indian Arrows =
== 2017–18 season ==
On 29 November 2017, Rai was selected to play for the Indian Arrows, an All India Football Federation owned team that would consist of India under-20 players to give them playing time.{{cite news|title=Matos Names 25-member Indian Arrows Squad for Hero I-league 2017-18|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/matos-names-25-member-indian-arrows-squad-for-hero-i-league-2017-18|accessdate=29 November 2017|work=The All India Football Federation|date=29 November 2017|archive-date=18 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218093107/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/matos-names-25-member-indian-arrows-squad-for-hero-i-league-2017-18|url-status=live}} He made his professional debut for the side on 26 December 2017, against Shillong Lajong. He started and played the full match as Indian Arrows won 3–0.{{cite web|title=Indian Arrows 3-0 Shillong Lajong|url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2017/12/26/india/i-league/aiff-xi/lajong-sc/2683986/|website=Soccerway|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=31 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231155516/https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2017/12/26/india/i-league/aiff-xi/lajong-sc/2683986/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=I-League 2017: Indian Arrows 3-0 Shillong Lajong: Luis Norton de Matos-less youngsters beat ten-men Reds|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/indian-arrows-v-shillong-lajong/bo7hhnnctrkzuygwdtrpsqp9m|date=26 December 2017|website=Goal.com|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802223840/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/indian-arrows-v-shillong-lajong/bo7hhnnctrkzuygwdtrpsqp9m|url-status=live}}
In his debut season, Rai made ten appearances, one in the 2018 Indian Super Cup for the Arrows. Although they finished bottom of the table in the I-League, they impressed with their gameplay and football.
== 2018–19 season ==
On 5 November 2018, he scored his first goal for the club in only his second appearance of the season against Shillong Lajong, which eventually was the winning goal as the Arrows won 1–0.{{cite web|title=Indian Arrows 1-0 Shillong Lajong|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/11/05/india/i-league/aiff-xi/lajong-sc/2928136/|website=Soccerway|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802222336/https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/11/05/india/i-league/aiff-xi/lajong-sc/2928136/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=I-League 2018-19: Indian Arrows emerge triumphant against Shillong Lajong|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/indian-arrows-v-shillong-lajong/3uxnqao2jrs8in8ihjmbth2zu|date=5 November 2018|website=Goal.com|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802220834/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/indian-arrows-v-shillong-lajong/3uxnqao2jrs8in8ihjmbth2zu|url-status=live}} He featured in all 20 matches of the 2018–19 I-League campaign and also a couple in the 2019 Indian Super Cup, as he became a permanent fixture in the right full-back position. The team improved from the season before and picked up 21 points to finish eighth in the points table.
= Hyderabad =
== 2019–20 season ==
Rai went back to the reserves team of Pune City, and when the club was dissolved in the summer of 2019, their replacement club Hyderabad signed him for their first team. He made his professional debut for the club on 25 October 2019, against ATK in a 5–0 loss.{{cite web|title=ATK 5-0 Hyderabad|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/10/25/india/indian-super-league/atletico-de-kolkata/hyderabad/3154673/|website=Soccerway|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419105247/https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/10/25/india/indian-super-league/atletico-de-kolkata/hyderabad/3154673/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=ISL 2019-20: Five-star ATK rout Hyderabad|url=https://www.goal.com/en-in/match/atk-v-hyderabad/7xvmh1nd3u0bzs92nee175u22|date=25 October 2019|website=Goal.com|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802223838/https://www.goal.com/en-in/match/atk-v-hyderabad/7xvmh1nd3u0bzs92nee175u22|url-status=live}} On 8 December 2019, Hyderabad head coach Phil Brown heaped praise on Rai after he put in a splendid display in the right-back position, in their narrow 1–0 defeat against Goa.{{cite web|title=Phil Brown heaps praise on Ashish Rai|url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/phil-brown-ashish-rai-hyderabad-fc-indian-super-league/1qumd1xeil9ii1awcs5fyyih7c|date=8 December 2018|website=Goal.com|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802223842/https://www.goal.com/en/news/phil-brown-ashish-rai-hyderabad-fc-indian-super-league/1qumd1xeil9ii1awcs5fyyih7c|url-status=live}}
The debut season of Hyderabad was a devastating one for the club and the fans, most of the Indian players didn't play in their preferred position and one of them was Rai. He played as a left-back, right-back and on the wings, too. He played 14 games for them in the 2019–20 Indian Super League season. Due to the unstableness in the squad, tactics and many other factors, he wasn't able to perform up to the mark and couldn't give his best.{{cite news|title=Asish Rai – Rising Star of Indian Football|url=https://iftwc.com/asish-rai-rising-star-of-indian-football-isl-2020-21/|date=20 February 2021|website=IFTWC|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=6 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906144247/https://iftwc.com/asish-rai-rising-star-of-indian-football-isl-2020-21/|url-status=live}}
On 17 February 2020, Rai signed a three-year extension with the club, till May 2023.{{cite news|title=Hyderabad youngsters Asish Rai and Mohammad Yasir sign contract extensions|url=https://www.indiansuperleague.com/clubs/1536-hyderabad-fc-profile/news/hyderabad-youngsters-asish-rai-and-mohammad-yasir-sign-contract-extensions|date=17 February 2020|website=Indian Super League|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=6 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906144246/https://www.indiansuperleague.com/clubs/1536-hyderabad-fc-profile/news/hyderabad-youngsters-asish-rai-and-mohammad-yasir-sign-contract-extensions|url-status=live}}
== 2020–21 season ==
Rai and Hyderabad set the stage alight in the 2020-21 Indian Super League season, under the stewardship of Manolo Márquez. The second season was a huge improvement for the outfit from the inaugural 2019-20 campaign, where they had finished last in the standings. Despite staying in contention for the playoffs throughout, the Nizams missed out on qualification on the final day due to a string of draws and dropped points.{{cite news|title=Indian Super League 2020-21 Season Review: Hyderabad FC|url=https://khelnow.com/football/isl-2020-21-season-review-hyderabad-fc|date=21 March 2021|website=KhelNow|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802222338/https://khelnow.com/football/isl-2020-21-season-review-hyderabad-fc|url-status=live}}
Rai was in sensational form throughout the season until he picked up a season-ending knee injury against Kerala Blasters, on 16 February 2021.{{cite news|title=Manolo Marquez gives update on Asish Rai's injury|url=https://khelnow.com/football/isl-2020-21-hfc-atkmb-manolo-marquez-pmc|date=16 February 2021|website=KhelNow|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802220836/https://khelnow.com/football/isl-2020-21-hfc-atkmb-manolo-marquez-pmc|url-status=live}} The right-back's industry on the flank and constant threat in the attacking third made him a tough operator for the opposition to contain. He featured in 18 matches of the 2020-21 Indian Super League campaign and also racked up two assists in the process. Head coach Márquez called Rai "the most improved player" of last season.{{cite news|title=After a stellar season, Márquez eyes evolution with Hyderabad FC|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/after-a-stellar-season-m-rquez-eyes-evolution-with-hyderabad-fc-1007841.html|date=12 July 2021|website=DeccanHerald|access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802220835/https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/after-a-stellar-season-m-rquez-eyes-evolution-with-hyderabad-fc-1007841.html|url-status=live}}
= Mohun Bagan =
Rai moved to another Indian Super League side Mohun Bagan in 2022. He made his debut for the club on 20 August against Rajasthan United at the 131st edition of Durand Cup and they were defeated by 3–2.{{cite web|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/durand-cup-atk-mohun-bagan-vs-rajasthan-united-live-streaming-score-atkmb-vs-arft-when-where-to-watch-india-telecast-highlights/article65790319.ece|title=Durand Cup HIGHLIGHTS ATK Mohun Bagan loses 2–3 to Rajasthan United, ATKMB vs RUFC; Mariners lose first match|website=sportstar.thehindu.com|publisher=Sportstar|agency=The Hindu|location=Kolkata, West Bengal|first=Neeladri|last=Bhattacharjee|date=20 August 2022|access-date=20 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820165038/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/durand-cup-atk-mohun-bagan-vs-rajasthan-united-live-streaming-score-atkmb-vs-arft-when-where-to-watch-india-telecast-highlights/article65790319.ece|archive-date=20 August 2022}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|4 March 2023}}{{soccerway|ashish-rai/525729}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|AFC !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="1" |Pune City B
|{{Nowrap|2017–18}} | rowspan="1" |I-League 2nd Division |6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 6 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="3" |Indian Arrows (loan)
| rowspan="2" |I-League |9 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=SuperCup|Appearance(s) in Super Cup}} | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19
|20 | 1 | 2{{efn|name=SuperCup}} | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 22 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2" |Indian Arrows total
!29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| rowspan="4" |Hyderabad
| rowspan="3" |Indian Super League |14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22
|16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 16 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Hyderabad total
!48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| rowspan="1" |Mohun Bagan
| rowspan="1" |Indian Super League |20 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=DurandCup|Appearance(s) in Durand Cup}} | 0 | 1{{efn|name=AFCCup|Appearance(s) in AFC Cup}} | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!103 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 111 | 1 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Mohun Bagan
Hyderabad
References
{{reflist}}
{{Mohun Bagan Super Giant squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rai, Asish}}
Category:Indian men's footballers
Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen
Category:India men's international footballers
Category:India men's youth international footballers
Category:Footballers from Sikkim
Category:People from Pakyong district
Category:Indian Arrows players
Category:Mohun Bagan Super Giant players