Something great is happening to Indian badminton. This is a bit of digression from the main theme of this article, which is to preview the world championships from an Indian angle. The championship is coming up soon. The two things that have happened in the last few weeks augur well for the future of Indian badminton.
First is that a centre of excellence has been inaugurated in Guwahati recently. A state-of-the-art, swanky, and totally result-oriented training centre which is housed in 24 courts of top-class calibre. This is from where the future champions will emerge. Infrastructure wise we are getting on par with the superpowers of the game. We need two more academies in different parts of the country.
Secondly, there was a fear that with Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy getting old and slow they may not play after this year is over. And with the next generation taking its time to come to the forefront and take charge of the men’s singles event. But with both veterans still going strong it is great to see that the next generation has already made waves this year. The names like Priyanshu Rajawat, Mithun Manjunath, Meiraba M and Kiran George will soon become household All the above-named have been scalping top-ranked shuttlers in the first year of their tour. All are around 21 years of age. And they have Lakshya Sen as a role model to follow. Lakshya is also just 21 years old and has vast experience already which will rub off with the above-named.
Right now they are not consistent and will take some time more on the tour to achieve the required consistency. But my guess as an observer of the sport, I reckon that they will be ready in one more year or so.
Coming now to the Indian squad’s preview at the world championships, let us see how the 14-strong squad may fare in Copenhagen.
At the outset, I will state that the men’s singles event could be won by any one of our three stalwarts. They have all the ingredients required to lift that trophy. If there is a player who can stand in their way, it has to be that colossus called Viktor Axelsen who will guard the trophy very zealously and vigorously which he won in 2017 and again in 2022. Viktor is a hands-on favourite for the title.
The good thing is that Lakshya and Prannoy both have the measure of his game as they both have defeated him in the past but still, I would give a 60/40 chance to Viktor to defend his title against any player in the fray. He has been marvellously consistent and dominating.
Let’s see the actual draw for our players in the men’s singles event.
HS Prannoy should get past Kalle Koljonen of Sweden with ease to set up a meeting with Chico Auro Dwi Wardoyo of Indonesia which can be tricky but he should pull through. Prannoy, seeded 9, will meet the seventh seed Loh Kean Yew the 2021 world champion in the pre-quarters. If things go according to the script then his opponent in the semifinals should be Viktor Axelsen, as Prannoy is in the half of Viktor the top seed. This will be a titanic match by any account.
Lakshya Sen will not have a harrowing time in the first two matches except in the second he has to be careful against the Koren player Jeon Hyeok Jin. He will then run into the third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn, his old friend from Thailand. This is a tough match. Lakshya has defeated the Thai stalwart many times but also has lost. Lakshya has to be razor-sharp on that day. He has shown it before and he can do it again. The mentally strong player will win.
Kidambi Srikanth has a tough one as he has drawn to play against Kenta Nishimoto the 14 seed and then a mouth-watering match against second seed Antony Ginting. This Indian tiger does not know when to give up. Thirty years old, this former world number 1, a Padma Shri, suffered a major health scare, when he was diagnosed with brain fever and had almost given up the game. But his recovery has been remarkable.
He has got the zeal and the determination, and most importantly, enough experience to turn the table against any player Including the tall Danish genius Viktor Axelsen.
My gut feeling is that if our three players play true to their form they may create history in Copenhagen.
As far as the sole Indian entry in women’s singles PV Sindhu is concerned she has been having a tough time on the circuit. She has been changing coaches and the current one is Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia. The problem though is that she is not been playing her natural style of attacking and aggressive badminton. If she can do it then she has a chance, against her second-round opponent Ratchanok Intanon, otherwise, she will be biting dust under the balletic feet of the Thai legend, who was the youngest to win the world junior championship at the age of 14. She went on to win the junior championships next two years also as well. Then she created history again by winning the BWF World Championship at the age of 18.
The title should go to Akane Yamaguchi or Ahn Se Young. The third possibility is Carolina Marin.
I will stick my neck out and say that Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will win their event. They have been outstanding this year riding a wave of success and defeating every pair. And would like nothing better than to win the last major title of the year.
In ladies and mixed doubles, we are nowhere and not in not in contention at all.
If we win two gold medals, which we can, it would be sensational.
Sindhu has won 5 medals – 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze. Saina Nehwal – one silver and one bronze – Prakash Padukone – 1 bronze – and B Sai Praneet – one bronze. Jwala and Ashwini Ponappa – one bronze – and Kidambi Srikanth – one silver and Lakshya Sen – one bronze.
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