The training in Sonepat & the 10-day break has worked well for us: Haryana Steelers’ coach Ranbir Singh Khokhar

HARYANA STEELERS Coach Ranbir Singh Khokhar said his side will look to make the most of the winning momentum as they get ready to face Telugu Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur tomorrow. Having won each of their last three encounters, both the teams will fight it out in the second Inter-Zone Wild Card match on Saturday. 

Steelers, who handed U Mumba an 11-point loss earlier this week are currently second on the Zone A standings with 64 points from 19 games. Reflecting on the last outing against which saw his side dominate throughout, Coach Khokhar lauded the team.

“We approached the game against U Mumba like a final. We had lost twice against them and knew how important it was for the morale of the team to win the last contest. We worked on our basics and came up with specific plans which were executed perfectly by our raiders and corners. We went all out and won comprehensively.”

The Steelers face Telugu Titans for the second time this season, and will want to make amends from their last encounter against Rahul Chaudhari’s men. Khokhar said,

“Unlike the last time when we lost against them, Telugu Titans are in good form, with three wins and a draw to their credit – which is going to be even more challenging. Their offence and defence have also found their rhythm and they look quite strong. But given the magnitude of the match, we have worked harder and am sure that we will make it count.”

Titans are placed fourth in their zone with 48 points, have to win every match in order to qualify for the play-offs. Speaking about the pressure on the opposition, Coach Khokhar said,

"At this stage, every game is a pressure situation for most of the teams in both the zones. But we cannot assume Titans to under-perform under pressure and take the match lightly.”

Haryana Steelers who have the highest number of tackle points in the league will not only depend on their corner duo of Surender and Mohit, but will also look at the raiding services of Deepak Dahiya to get the better of Titans.

“Deepak (Dahiya) is an exceptional player, the fact that we have the highest Do or Die raid points in the league is largely because of him. He played a very good game against Mumbai where he didn't make a single mistake. The training in Sonepat and the recent break have worked well for all of us.”

With Vikash Kandola being a doubtful starter tomorrow, Steelers will rely on the experience of Wazir Singh to complement Deepak’s raiding prowess to gain the upper-hand in the clash.

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