Kerala Blasters to bring back jersey number 21 retired in honour of Jhingan; this Malayali player will wear it from now on

KOCHI: In 2020, Kerala Blasters had retired its jersey number 21 in honour of its former defender Sandesh Jhingan. However, the club has now decided to withdraw its earlier decision and has decided to bring back the jersey number. Bijoy Varghese will be wearing this jersey from now on. Bijoy will be wearing the No. 21 jersey in the upcoming season. The club had extended the player's contract until 2025. Along with that, Bijoy was given a new jersey.

A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Bijoy had been passionate about football since his school days. He later joined the youth team of Kovalam FC. He was part of the Kerala team that reached the final of the International School Championship in 2018. He also won the award for the best defender in the tournament. He was also a member of the Sports Authority of India's football team that participated in the Youth League.