Rohit, Bengaluru FC finding their feet

Rohit Kumar has scored better goals in his career. But he knew this one - a scuffed, deflected effort that crept over the touchline against Odisha FC for a club that at the time looked unlikely to challenge the playoff spot - was special.

As he trudged along the touchline in celebration, his eyes searched the stands.

"One of my closest friends, Mukesh, is no more. When I scored against Odisha, I wanted to dedicate it to him. It was emotional for me because his family was there in the stands," Rohit tells DH.

Mukesh passed away due to liver complications last year.

"He was my junior by two years at CRPF Public School (in Delhi). He was the best player in our school. He taught me (how to play football), took me out in the evenings, for runs and practice. That is where I got attached to the game. Whenever I go to the pitch I think about him, I pray and I play for him. He changed my life," he says.

Yes, that goal meant a lot for Rohit personally. But it also gave Bengaluru FC the lift they needed. Now on a four-game win streak, they are back in contention for a play-off berth which at one point looked bleak.

Rohit, with three goals in four games, has been a major, if under-appreciated, part of that streak. Perhaps it is his long-strided, languid body language that camouflages his effort. Maybe it is his understated character or that there was no fanfare when he was signed by Bengaluru last season.

After all, following his debut at DSK Shivajians five years ago, when he scored in three straight games, the midfielder has struggled to replicate his early eye-catching performances.

"Different coaches want something different. In Hyderabad and Kerala, they wanted me to sit back and protect the defence. Simon (Grayson) wants me to get forward. (This role is) more suited for my game," says Rohit.

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"I am happy to contribute, however, I can to the team. It is more important that we are winning than (me) scoring. Now we are in a good run, we have four games (to go) and hopefully, we can get good results and get into the playoffs," he says quietly.

Coach Grayson deserves credit for tweaking Rohit's position, allowing him to play a more box-to-box role. The midfielder, to his credit, now plays with more aggression, something that was missing in his game, and a lot of Indian midfielders' games by extension, before.

Rohit is hitting form at the right end of the season and will be key for his club's hopes in the next four games, starting with ATK Mohun Bagan on Sunday.

"It is difficult but not impossible. We want to get into the playoff. Hopefully, we can get into that good run. I don't care about what will happen in the future. I care about what I can do today and tomorrow," says Rohit.

It is poetic that he found his feet again at a club that needed strong legs. The question now is, can he carry them over the line?