This was so-called the first season of the Punjab FC after Mr. Ranjit Bajaj announced a partnership with Mohali based firm Round Glass Sports. They have amazed us at the start of the season by announcing Yan Law as the coach of the senior team who became the youngest head coach in India to lead an I-League team. This year Punjab FC roped in some experienced campaigners like Cavin Lobo, Anwar Ali, Nirmal Chhetri, Sanju Pradhan(who had been the captain of the team), and some renowned foreigners those who have already played in India along with some young guns.
They won the Punjab League defeating the table-toppers Punjab Police in the final. The start was not great for Yan and the boys, but they managed to bounce back and ended the COVID effected I-League season in the third position. Dipanda Dicka being the highest goalscorer for the team with twelve goals but the youth product of Mumbai FC who has amazed us with the versatility he brought for the coach in Punjab FC this season is Girik Khosla who came back to his former club after not getting any game time at NorthEast United FC.
The boy from Mumbai scored two goals including a vital equalizer against East Bengal FC and gave them a vital one point away from home.
The early years of Girik Khosla
Born in Mumbai, Girik Khosla started his footballing journey with the youth setup of Mumbai FC where he captained the U14 and U17 teams before moving on to the state team of Chandigarh. He caught the eyes of Minerva Punjab after guiding his state team Chandigarh to qualify for the final stages of the Santosh Trophy.
He made his senior debut for Minerva Punjab in the 2016-17 I-League season against DSK Shivajians as he came on as a substitute. He was part of the 2017-18 I-League winning team where he made 12 appearances and scored one goal.
His performance caught the eyes of the Indian Super League side NorthEast United FC and he joined them for the 2018–19 Indian Super League season, however, he made just one appearance for the Highlanders and failed to get any game-time.
Girik Khosla returned back to Minerva Punjab in the 2019-20 I-League season and got some game time, as he scored two goals in 7 appearances.
2019-20 Season
He was once again back after spending one season with the Highlanders, he left the club after winning the league for Minerva Punjab FC. This season he had his competitors up at stake at the wings for him as he had to compete for each and every game-time, he played 375 minutes this season scored two goals in seven outings he did for Punjab FC and has an average of 0.48 goals per 90 minutes he played this season. He evolved himself as a second striker next to Dipanda Dicka under the coaching of Yan Law. Because of the brilliant form that Dipanda Dicka possessed throughout the season was the main reason that Girik did not get the game-time.
After spending one year at Punjab FC, he has recently signed a new deal with East Bengal FC for two seasons.