I have always dreamt of it ever since I started playing badminton: Aakarshi Kashyap on representing India at CWG 2022

Aakarshi Kashyap is regarded as the undisputed queen of the domestic badminton circuit. She has been dominating the home track ever since her sub-junior days.

The Chhattisgarh player extended her domination in the senior category as well and went on to achieve the No. 1 position in the Badminton Association of India (BAI) rankings.

Aakarshi extended her home domination by emerging on top in the national selection trials (held in April) for the Commonwealth Games. Aakarshi remained unbeaten in the week-long selection tournament to grab a place in the national squad.

Although Aakarshi has been dominant in India, she has not been able to translate that domination into the international circuit. The 20-year-old Aakarshi has done well in patches overseas but was not able to deliver the consistency she displayed in the domestic circuit.

The forthcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will provide yet another opportunity for the World No. 57 to make a mark at the highest level.

Aakarshi Kashyap and PV Sindhu are two women's singles players in the Indian team

Aakarshi will be the second women’s singles player after PV Sindhu in the Indian side. She is determined to excel at CWG 2022. To excel in Birmingham, she has taken a break from participating in international tournaments in order to better prepare for the mega event.

Aakarshi wants to rectify some of her weak points and aims for an overall improvement in her game to tackle formidable opponents in the future.

She was the winner of the Kenya International in 2020 and also finished as runner-up at the Uganda International in the same year.

Aakarshi got her big break at the age of 16 when she was selected to the Indian team at the 2018 Asian Games. She was part of the national women’s team that won the gold medal at the 2019 South Asian Games.

Aakarshi, who had represented India at the Uber Cup and Badminton Asia Championships earlier this year, has been honing her skills at the ongoing national camp. She also reached the semi-finals at the Indian Open earlier this year.

The young shuttler spoke exclusively with Sportskeeda and revealed her plans for the mega event.

Here are some excerpts from an interview with Aakarshi Kashyap

Q: How are the preparations going for CWG?

A: My preparations for CWG are going pretty well. I have taken a break from tournaments to condition myself at the international level. I am working on all the parameters as I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.

Q: You earned your place in the Indian team after winning the national selection trials in New Delhi. You must be feeling confident ahead of CWG.

A: I am feeling quite confident as all the players in the selection trials were India’s best. Winning the trials has given me a great boost.

Q: How do you rate your chances at CWG?

A: I think I have a good chance to prove myself and India in the mixed team events also stands a great chance of winning.

Q: Who do you think are your competitors in CWG?

A: Most countries like Singapore, Malaysia, England and Canada are continuously doing well. So, all of them are going to be my competitors.

Q: India upset formidable Malaysia in the last edition at Gold Coast CWG to win the gold medal. Do you think we can retain the team championship title?

A: Yes, I firmly believe that we can do it again.

Q: Representing the country at the CWG must be one of the most memorable moments of your career. Please share your thoughts.

A: It’s indeed a pleasure to represent India in such a prestigious event. I have always dreamt of it ever since I started playing badminton. I will do my best to utilize this opportunity and secure a medal for my country.