Krishan Kumar Hooda: Naveen Kumar will play even better

Dabang Delhi K.C. scored a big win and ended Bengal Warriors’ unbeaten run with a 39-30 victory. In the post-match press conference, Dabang Delhi K.C. coach Krishan Kumar Hooda and captain Joginder Narwal took questions for their side whereas Bengal Warriors were represented by coach Jagdish Kumble and captain PO Surjeet Singh.

Dabang Delhi

Q: Great win against a previously unbeaten team. What are your thoughts?

Joginder Narwal: They are an excellent team with experienced players. One of the best in Zone B. We are pleased to beat them.

Q: What was the thought process behind the team selection?

Krishan Kumar Hooda: We don’t focus on individuals. We focus on the team. We assess the individual skills of each player and assess how their strengths will give us an edge against specific oppositions. All 12 of my players are outstanding so I don’t focus on an individual.

Q: Great performance from Naveen Kumar. What are your thoughts about him?

Krishan Kumar Hooda: In the previous press conference, I said there is more to come from Naveen Kumar. Today he showed what he’s capable of and I’m very happy with him. And in the upcoming games, he’ll put in even better performances. He’s a rising star and we have high hopes from him.

Q: What was the turning point of the match?

Krishan Kumar Hooda: Chandran Ranjit’s six-point raid swung the pendulum firmly in our side. It was an outstanding moment for us and that really was the turning point.

Q: Your defence was outstanding tonight. Any thoughts on that?

Joginder Narwal: Post our last game in Sonepat, coach Hooda really worked hard to ensure we iron out the errors we made against Haryana Steelers. We talked about them and assessed what it was we had to do to ensure we keep Maninder Singh quiet. And it all came together quite nicely.

Bengal Warriors

Q: Where did it go wrong for your team tonight?

PO Surjeet Singh: The six-point raid was a huge blow. Post that, we were had a 10-point deficit and were constantly chasing the game. That was the turning point of the match.

Q: Jang Kun Lee and Mahesh Goud were quite good on the night. So where were the shortcomings?

Jagdish Kumble: Giving up that six-point raid really made life difficult for us and all our efforts at a comeback fell short.

Q: First defeat of the season. Will that change your approach?

Jagdish Kumble: These things happen. It’s a long season. We will regroup, work on our mistakes and try to put in a better performance in the next game.