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Our super women badminton team is all set to begin the Asian Games at Incheon beginning on Saturday. With badminton making its debut in the Asian Games in 1966,India have won a single gold and seven bronze medals so far. Our Ladies Badminton team headed by the Olympic bronze medal winner Saina Nehwal after an early exit from the Quarter Finals against World No.1 Li Xerui at the World Championships is all pumped up for a gold this time .
All eyes are on P. V Sindhu however since World No.10 has immensely improved her game recently after an outstanding performance at the Uber Cup held earlier this this year and a stupefying amount of nerve displayed defeating World No.3 Wang Shixian and clinching that bronze medal for India at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She is one teammate Saina must be careful of. However, they as a team have immense potential to improve India’s medal tally combined with Commonwealth Games gold medal contender Parupalli Kashyap and upcoming Kidambi Shrikanth. Looking at Sindhu’s performance, Saina needs to improve her game or else she too will be dethroned. Sadly our star doubles team wont be the same as Jwala Gutta pulled out due to an injury and Ashwini Ponappa will be seen playing with P.V Sindhu instead.
Tough local competition
It is a matter of pride as an Indian to look at our top 2 players competing in the same rung.This is a huge motivation for upcoming players like Delhi shuttler Bhavya Rishi, Arundhati , Rasika. Also after newbie Prannoy’s victory at Indonesian Open ,Indian as a country is emerging as a badminton players paradise. Former stars like Pullela Gopichand, Prakash Padukone are undoubtedly working towards harnessing talent through their academies and expertise.
Beginning with Saina’ s game tomorrow at Incheon, they will definitely have an easy 1st round against China in the group event, but a tough challenge against Thailand including former World Champion Ratchanok Inthanon followed by power packed team China with World No.1 Li Xerui and World No.2 Wang Yihan.
India is definitely emerging victorious with each passing tournament and the games are a treat to the eyes. This surely raises our hopes and expectations from each player and Chief National Coach Pullela Gopichand and Madhumita Bisht for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
With this kind of motivation especially after the introduction of the Premier IBL on the lines of IPL, there is so much more that as a nation can contribute to the Game.
