When Delhi Waveriders play host to Jaypee Punjab Warriors at the Shivaji stadium here on Tuesday, it is likely to be an interesting clash of styles. Both teams are occupying the bottom space in the points table, which is not just due to lack of wins but also because of the scheduling of the tournament. The teams at the top have played more matches than those at the bottom which has skewed the points table in their favour.
The defending champions Punjab have lost two matches while recording a resounding 7-0 victory over Ranchi Rays. What is reflected in the scorelines is the fact that Punjab have played an all-out attacking game that has resulted in them both scoring and conceding a lot of goals.
That approach is set to continue with their coach Barry Dancer making it clear that they won't tinker with their attacking strategy. "If you look at our matches so far we have scored plenty of goals. Our style is to play aggressive hockey and we will continue to do that," he said.
On the other hand Delhi, even though languishing at the bottom, have managed to keep teams at bay on most occasions. Coach Cedric D'souza sees that as a major positive. "We have conceded only four goals so far, so that shows that our defence has been good. I am looking at it as a major positive," sounded a confident D'souza.
Cedirc also asserted that he is not too disheartened with the campaign so far. "Our team performance has been good but we didn't convert our chances. I am happy with our structure but disappointed that we didn't win a match yet," he said.
Both coaches also seemed happy with the turf at the Shivaji stadium. "We have no complaints. This is our home turf and we have no issues," D'souza emphasized. Warriors coach said, "We enjoy playing on this pitch and love the atmosphere that we get here."
While the coaching staff of the both the teams would be keen to see their sides rise in the points table, they are delighted with the larger impact of HIl on Indian hockey.
Cedric was of the opinion that the traditional skill of dribbling that defined Indian hockey is being revived through HIl. "The fact that a field goal is counted has two goals, made players use their dribbling skills lot more. Dribbling skills are part of our DNA and now even foreign players are making greater use of it," D'souza opined.
Two key players in Tuesday's game will be India's international stars Sardar and Rupinder Pal Singh. While Sardar is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game, Rupinder has emerged as a leading drag-flicker. In the end, what to expect from Tuesday's match was best summed up by Dancer, "It will be a battle between our attack and Delhi's defence tomorrow."