Rourkela: With an impressive mix of players in their line-up, the Kalinga Lancers start among the favourites for the Hockey India League 2024-25, currently underway, and German coach Valentin Altenburg wants to create a unique 'playing style and identity' for the team. 

Defending champions of the last HIL held seven years ago, the Lancers open the new season in the eight-team competition against UP Rudras at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Monday in their spiritual home of Odisha.

Experienced Australian midfielder Aran Zalewski will captain the side that features the likes of Dutch star Thierry Brinkman, gold medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Belgium’s world-class drag-flicker Alexander Hendrickx, alongside rising Indian talents such as goalkeeper Krishan Pathak, midfielder Rosan Kujur, and defender Sanjay to name a few.

“Yeah, very excited, very excited because it's the best challenge that a coach can have, bringing together so many great players from so many different backgrounds to create something new. So we want to create a Vedanta Kalinga Lancers playing style and identity. And there's nothing I can think of that would make more joy for myself than doing it,” Altenburg said.

“So it will be very important to have a good connection on pitch with a great crowd and hopefully we can also make the people a home crowd. Everybody is already looking forward and I think the first goal that we're going to score will be very special,” he added.

On the rationale behind appointing Zalewski as captain, the German said: “He has a huge impact since he knows Kalinga Lancers, he knows India, he knows hockey. He has a great personality and he's also interested in building a unique Kalinga Lancers culture. So his impact will be huge on both the coaching staff as well as the players.”

Speaking about the exceptional Indian talent in the squad, Altenburg said: “Definitely Pathak but everybody knows it already. (Forward) Dilpreet (Singh), who will be playing a very decisive role in our squad. And besides that, there are some hidden champions that I will not talk about yet.” (IANS)