The Hero Hockey India league has reached the middle stage of its 30 days but no team yet has looked like the best of the lot. Reasons like less time for preparation and hectic schedule have taken toll on the players with the result being not-so-settled combinations. Therefore, teams are still searching for the habit of winning.
Teams are struggling with their rhythm and idea of constantly trying out different combinations has resulted in either regal performances or some shoddy shows. And so for now, none of the six teams looks certain for a last-four finish.
like any other team, Uttar Pradesh Wizards and Delhi Waveriders, who meet each other in a clash at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Wednesday, would not only want to increase their points tally but also would like to start winning regularly starting from this match. Both teams have played five games each.
Waveriders had lost only a game in the group stage last year and the only team that had defeated them is ready to do it once again on Wednesday.
last year, Delhi were playing a game of counter-attack but a complete overhaul of support staff under a new coach in Cedric D’Souza and nine new faces means that their playing style has also been tweaked a bit.
“We had a lot of changes in the team composition from last year. It’s about securing your defence and then you attack, that’s what we’re doing. We are trying to keep the defence as strong as possible,” Delhi coach said.
For Delhi, skipper Sardar Singh, lloyd Norris Jones, Gurbaj Singh, Rupinderpal Singh and Jason Wilson hold the key.“It takes time to gel together and if you look around, every team is getting better match by match and same is the case with us,” D’Souza added.
While the league’s table toppers Jaypee Punjab Warriors are with 18 points, Delhi have collected 17 points, followed by Wizards who have got 13 points from four matches.
“We have a lot of games left and I don’t think too far ahead as to where we would like to finish. We would like to take one game at a time and in order to do that, our focus is on tomorrow’s match against Delhi. We had a good performance in our match against Punjab. Tomorrow, we will of course play a different opponent but we would like to keep that level,” Wizards coach Roelant Oltmans told media persons on the eve of the game.
The Wizards rely on national team members — dragflicker and central defender VR Raghunath, Nithin Thimmiah, Ramandeep Singh, Nikkin Thimmiah and SK Uthappa. Their important overseas players include Sander Baart, Shea McAleese, Sander Baart, legendary Teun de Nooijer, luke Doerner and goalkeeper George Bazeley.
Sardar not to go to the Netherlands Considering the long and busy calendar ahead with a lot of important tournaments like World Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Champions Trophy to be played, Sardar has decided to skip his six-week stint with famous club HC Bloemendaal.
last year, Sardar got an offer to play for the Dutch club in place of the then retired Nooijer.
“After the HIl, I was supposed to go to Holland and play six weeks for HC Bloemendaal. But, considering the busy schedule ahead, I want to rest and will be telling the club’s guys that I won’t be coming,” Sardar said.