All eyes on 'new sensation' as Kerala eye 7th Santosh Trophy title

Thursday's Santosh Trophy semi-final between Kerala and neighbours Karnataka saw a thrashing victory for the former, who managed to reach the finals of the trophy, winning the game 7 goals to 3.

As the Payyanad stadium, better known as Sports Complex Stadium in Malappuram district, set the stage for the clash between arch-rivals- Kerala and West Bengal- one Kerala player, in particular, has been grabbing the spotlight.

Coincidentally, the last time Kerala lifted the trophy was in 2018, when they went on to beat West Bengal on their home turf, in penalties.

Jesin T K, a native of Nilambur from the same district, has been hailed as the latest football sensation in the state, grabbed the headline, for his remarkable 5-goal haul in the semis. Jesin came on as a substitute in the 30th minute when his team was a goal behind. It took him just 4 minutes, when the pacey striker chipped over a rushing goalkeeper, levelling the score.

He went on to score a couple just before half-time to complete a hat-trick within 15 minutes. A brace in the second half sealed the deal for the hosts. With this remarkable feat, Jesin became the only player in Santosh Trophy history to score a 'glut' as a substitute. He also holds the state record for the most number of goals scored in a single game.

Jesin's father, Nizar, is also an avid lover of the sport. “I wanted to become a footballer but I was not focused. I got into various sports, such as athletics, basketball and kabaddi, and ended up becoming no one", he says in an Indian Express report. He also added that Jesin's grandmother too had a significant impact on his career.

Nizar, an auto-driver by profession, missed out on the semis and had to resort to a live stream. This time, however, he is not taking any chances, calling it 'the most important day of my life.

As the football-crazy district of Malappuram will set the stage for Monday's finals, with Kerala eyeing their 7th title, Nizar expects to be in the stands of the 30,000-seater, cheering, hoping to realise his unfulfilled dreams through his son.

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