Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 17 (ANI): When the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers walk out onto the turf in Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, they will not just be defending their position at the top of the table -- they will be stepping into an atmosphere their Captain, Arthur Van Doren, believes is unlike any other in world hockey.

The final leg of the Men's Hero Hockey India League 2025-26 begins in the Odisha capital, a city that has quietly built a reputation as Indian hockey's spiritual home. For Van Doren, the return is both strategic and deeply personal, as per a release from the Hockey India League (HIL).

'Obviously, we know that the final phase will be here in Bhubaneswar, in Kalinga's home city. Bhubaneswar and Odisha, in general is a hockey-loving environment. The people that come and watch here are hockey-loving people, and we are very much looking forward to playing here, especially since we are doing well,' the Belgian defender said.

The Lancers have set the pace this season, but Van Doren insists the focus remains on evolution rather than entitlement.

'We started off very well in this competition and we want to improve, grow and make sure that we reach our full potential to have a chance to be successful,' he said. 'This is hopefully only the beginning, and this is the standard we want to push and push and push.'

If form is the foundation, the Bhubaneswar crowd may well be the final layer. Van Doren speaks of the Kalinga Stadium stands as a force that alters the physical rhythm of the game.

'I think it gives you a boost, that's for sure. Knowing that the crowd here will be very loud, it will only help us. It makes the hard metres a little bit less hard,' he said with a smile.

Later, he distilled the feeling into a single word -- impressive.

'If there are 10,000 people in Indian stadium, specially in venues like Kalinga Stadium, it feels like 15,000. In Europe, 10,000 feels like 10 sometimes. Here, they scream for two,' he added.

Yet home advantage also brings expectation, something Van Doren confronts head-on as Captain. 'Pressure is a privilege,' he said simply. 'The most important thing is to do the things that are going well for us and build on that, not look too much at outside things. Hockey is a team sport -- if you have a bad day, you've got 10 other friends there for you.'

His connection with Bhubaneswar extends beyond the league calendar. It was here, in 2018, that Belgium lifted their first Hockey World Cup -- a moment etched permanently in his memory.

'For me, it's a very special environment. We won our first World Cup here with Belgium, so I'm especially fond of this ground. People here really love hockey -- they follow it, they know about it. As a foreign player, it makes it very nice to come here because you feel it's followed even more than maybe in Europe.'

Inside the Lancers' camp, Van Doren has been equally struck by the hunger of Indian players, particularly the younger ones shaping the future of the side.

'They are constantly busy with hockey -- it's their number one priority,' he said. 'Players like Deepak Pradhan and Rosan Kujur have developed a lot in one year. Rosan's understanding of when to attack, when to defend, when to accelerate, when to calm down has grown so much, and he's still far from his top.'

He also singled out Dilpreet Singh's artistry and stated, 'He has very silky skills, which is rare in hockey nowadays.'

Away from tactics and training, the captain has found simpler comforts in Odisha -- most notably at the dining table. 'I have always loved Indian cuisine and my favourite food is dal makhani with roti,' he revealed.

As the league's decisive phase begins, the Lancers will rely on more than just points and patterns. They will lean into the noise, the colour, the memory of packed stands and a city that breathes hockey. (ANI)