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The Indian Badminton League is finally on its way. The six city-based franchises have made their investments, and will have to be happy with their buys irrespective of what transpires over the next month.
A cursory glance at the team lists reveals that no team has an overwhelming advantage. Indeed, some of the teams seem to have missed a trick or two. Here we examine the strengths and weaknesses of each team:
Hyderabad Hotshots:
Taufik Hidayat (15k), Ajay Jayaram (25k), Tanongsak (15k), Saina Nehwal (120k), V Shem Goh (10k), Lim KhimWah (10k), Tarun Kona (28k), Pradnya Gadre (46k), Kanthi Visalakshi (3k), Subhankar Dey (3k)
A balanced team, and with the advantage of having Saina play for her home city. Still, that will ensure only a single point in the women’s singles.
Taufik Hidayat was a steal at USD 15,000, but is the Indonesian maverick a reliable player? The last few tournaments have seen him play half-heartedly, and nobody knows if he can ensure a win in the first encounter. The one thing going for him is the shortened duration of each match (the third set will be played for 11 instead of 21).
Tarun Kona and Pradnya Gadre are both safe buys. Lim and Goh are a steady mens doubles pair for Malaysia, but they aren’t the best.
Mumbai Masters:
Lee Chong Wei (135k), Marc Zwiebler (15k), Tine Baun (30k), Pranav Chopra (36k), Manu Attri (10k), Sikki Reddy (11k), PC Thulasi (10k), Vladimir Ivanov (15k), Sumeeth Reddy (7.5k), Rasika Raje (3k)
Mumbai Masters splurged USD 135,000 on the world no.1, and that comes with its inherent advantages and some disadvantages. Lee will ensure a point in every match he figures in, but a major question mark will be on his state of mind just after the World Championships. He is expected to run into either Chen Long or Lin Dan in the final. Zwiebler though is a great buy at just 15k, and can be expected to win the second men’s singles match.
Tine Baun is again a good buy at USD 30K, and even though she retired in March, she should be fit enough for the physical demands of the IBL. The one key player for Mumbai is Vladimir Ivanov, for he can play singles and doubles effectively. Pranav Chopra and Manu Attri are experienced Indian players; we could possibly see Ivanov combining with Attri in the Men’s Doubles. The mixed doubles appears the weakest link.
Banga Beats:
P Kashyap (75k), Hu Yun (50k), Tai Tzu Ying (25k), Carolina Marin (10k), CarstenMogensen (50k), Akshay Dewalkar (36k), Aparna Balan (12k), Aditya Prakash (5k), ArvindBhat (7.5k), J Meghana (4k)
The team from Bangalore had a ‘mock auction’ among themselves on Friday, and started off promisingly, netting Kashyap for USD 75000, Hu Yun and Taipei maverick Tai Tzu Ying for 25K. But their third buy defied logic – Carolina Marin for 10K. What was the point in having two women’s singles players?
That restricted their choice when it came to the doubles. They picked up Olympic silver medallist CarstenMogensen (50K) and that exhausted their quota of four foreigners. That forced them to go for Akshay Dewalkar and Aparna Balan. The Bangalore team have a strong singles squad but are unbalanced in doubles.
Lucknow Warriors:
Chong Wei Feng (25k), Guru SaiDutt (40k), Srikanth K (34k), PV Sindhu (80k), RuthvikaShivani (3k), Sapsiree T (15k), Markis Kido (15.5k), Maneesha K (26k), Maneepong Jongjit (10k), Nandagopal K (10k),
The Warriors have made some interesting buys, but their men’s singles appears relatively weak. Chong Wei Feng is hardly the best player to open the campaign, while Guru SaiDutt would be effective in an all-India encounter. Sindhu is a strong buy, but can she ensure a point in every women’s singles encounter? The Warriors have some strong doubles players – Markis Kido and Maneepong Jongjit (men’s doubles), with Maneesha for the mixed. But with Jongjit involved in a physical scrap with Thai team-mate Bodin Issara at the Canada Open on Sunday, more word on him is awaited.
Delhi Smashers:
Wong Wing Ki (20k), Sai Praneeth (40k), HS Prannoy (16k), Arundhati Pantawane (15k), Tan Boon Heong (50k), Koo KienKeat (50k), V Diju (30k), JwalaGutta (31k), Nichaon Jindapon (15k), Prajakta Sawant (7k)
The Delhi Smashers have got it right in the doubles department – two steady combinations in doubles. Koo KienKeat and Tan Boon Heong and V Diju/JwalaGutta are regular partners, and will ensure two points. The Smashers will depend on Wong Wing Ki in the first men’s singles, but Wong has been inconsistent and is unpredictable. Sai Praneeth and HS Prannoy will be able to head the men’s singles challenge as well, but the women’s singles appears relatively weak.
Pune Pistons:
Nguyen Tien Minh (44k), Anup Sridhar (6k), Sourabh Verma (20k), Juliane Schenk (90k), Joachim Fischer (35,000), Tan Wee Kiong (15k), Sanave Thomas (5k), Arun Vishnu (26k), Ashwini Ponnappa (25k), Rupesh Kumar (20k combined)
A well-balanced team. Nguyen Tien Minh has been consistently in the top-ten, and can ensure a point in at least a few of his matches. Sourabh Verma is a good second singles player, and Juliane Schenk is in the prime of her career.
The Pistons have put some thought into their doubles combinations as well, with players like Joachim Fischer, Sanave Thomas, Arun Vishnu, Rupesh Kumar and Ashwini Ponnappa, apart from Malaysian Tan Wee Kiong. The mixed doubles combination of Joachim Fischer and Ashwini Ponnappa should be interesting to watch.
Here’s a complete video review of the IBL auctions
