Interview: "One-touch hockey working well for Waveriders" - Gurwinder Chandi

Delhi Waveriders have looked the team to watch out for in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League maintaining its unbeaten run – gleaning 34 points from eight games. The Waveriders’ superb run has been possible thanks due to their potent forwardline, which comprises a slew of talented strikers.

File Photo: Gurwinder Singh Chandi

Gurwinder Singh Chandi is one among them, who has hit the right notes during the league. Playing alongside many talented foreign strikers, Gurwinder acknowledges how much he is richer with the experience.

“It’s a wonderful experience for me to play alongside players of different countries, who have different styles. We have Germany’s Oscar Deecke who plays the European brand of hockey, which is more defence-oriented, while we have Matthew Gohdes (cousin of Jamie Dwyer) from Australia who plays attacking hockey like us. We also have Lloyd Norris-Jones from South Africa and Simon Child from New Zealand. It’s a nice feeling to share the dressing room with such a talented bunch of guys; it is also a big learning curve for me,” Gurwinder told Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview.

The 23-year-old, who made his senior international debut during the 2008 Four-Nations Tournament in Australia stressed on the need for forwards to master their off-the-ball running.

“Of the ball running is a crucial aspect of modern hockey. When player sends in a cross from the flanks or takes a hit-in, it is important for a striker not just to anticipate but also be in the right position to tap a cross or a hit-in towards the opposition goal. I’m working on it and HIL is allowing me to improve further,” the ONGC employee observed.

The biggest learning for Gurwinder is to restrain the Indian hockey players’
main forte – dribbling. Gurwinder felt that judicious use of dribbling is the key.

“Look, foreign players really appreciate the dribbling skills of the Indian players. Many players in my team tell me not to engage in over-dribbling and play more one-touch hockey, which can benefit the team. Trust me, it has worked well for Waveriders,” the Indian striker remarked.

He cited the example of Jaypee Punjab Warriors. “Initially, they were struggling because they were carrying the ball far too long. But they are playing more one-touch hockey now, which is really working well for them.”

The Hockey India League has brought into focus the sleekness with which the foreign players employ the reverse hit – something the Indian players are not very good at. Gurwinder said it has a lot to do with the basics of a player.

“Look, youngsters take up hockey in Australia or Europe on astroturf where employing the reverse hit comes naturally to them. In India, youngsters start playing hockey on grass where executing an reverse hit is not easy. On grass if you take 50 reverse hits at goal, you would hit the target probably ten times. Indian players are working hard and the same applies to me. I’m pretty confident about being a good exponent of the reverse hit in future,” the Delhi Waveriders forward quipped.

Gurwinder, who is a cousin of former Indian Olympian Baljit Singh Chandi, is happy to see Delhi Waveriders top the points table but is fully aware of the fact that complacency can spell trouble for the team. “We have started well but it doesn’t mean that we will win the league. There is a long way to go – still a few matches to be played. Of course, luck plays a big role in big games, so you always have to be on your toes,” he sounded a note of caution.

The national team dished out a decent performance in the FIH Champions Trophy as well as in the Asian Champions Trophy under captain Sardar Singh – isn’t it a sweet coincidence that Gurwinder is playing under him for DelhiWaveriders. “I feel proud to be playing alongside a world-class player like Sardar Singh. He is a great team man and always maintains a great dressing room atmosphere – sometimes not even hesitating to pull a fast one on his team-mates,” he said matter-of-factly.

The London Olympics was a sad chapter for Indian hockey and Gurwinder is willing to dwell on that debacle. “I think we looked really good during the pre-Olympics tour to Europe. We could not maintain that same form at London.”

The 2013 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – India’s next international assignment – would see Gurwinder accomplish a personal milestone of playing 100 internationals. “I’m excited to know this. Hopefully I will fare well in that tournament.”

For any striker scoring goals is the ultimate mission on a hockey turf. So which goalkeeper Gurwinder finds the most difficult to score off? “Nicolas Jacobi. I think his defence is the most difficult to breach, gushed Gurwinder, who sees Jamie Dwyer and Teun De Nooijer as his most favourite players.