What’s the story?
The Mumbai Rockets lost out in the final of the Premier Badminton League by the narrowest of margins, as Ajay Jayaram succumbed in an enthralling deciding encounter. However, there will be lots of positives that the team can draw from the recently-ended campaign, none more so than the re-emergence of HS Prannoy, who remained unbeaten throughout the course of the tournament.
“It is a great confidence booster,” admitted the 24-year old, as he scored a series of remarkable wins. “Over the last 2-3 years, I had been a bit more conservative in the way I played. However, I realised that being aggressive on the court is my natural instinct and I’m glad I could let it out early in the start of the year in the PBL,” he said.
He has endured a tough time with injuries, with his back giving him a lot of trouble in the past few years. “I have started treating injuries as something common and I look to take them in my stride. They make me want to return to court as soon as possible. I would like to thank my doctors and physios, who have helped me overcome these problems,” said the man from Thiruvananthapuram.
In case you didn’t know...
Prannoy is another graduate from the famed Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad and has achieved a highest ranking of number 12 in the world in 2015. He has two Grand Prix Gold titles to his name – the 2014 Indian Masters and the 2016 Swiss Open. He has also won two medals – a gold and a silver at the South Asian Games in Guwahati last year.
The heart of the matter
The battle between the two Indians was an engaging one, with tempers flaring and both players exclaiming loudly after winning points. Kashyap injured his right shoulder during the game, but much to his credit, he soldiered on to try and fight back but was unable to do so.
Prannoy won the opening game easily by a score of 11-4. Kashyap made a strong comeback in the second game to win 8-11. In the final set, it was a close battle and could have gone either way but the Mumbai man held his nerve to win the game 11-8 and take the match into the deciding clash at 3-3.
Also read: PBL win is a great confidence booster, says PV Sindhu after win over Ji Hyun Sung
“Kashyap has always been a great support for me throughout my career. He has been a helpful senior and even though we are fierce rivals when we are on the court, off it, we are great friends and often hang out together,” said Prannoy about his senior compatriot after the match.
He then also spoke about the PBL and how much importance it holds from the perspective of the players. He said, “It is a team event, so it is different from the tournaments we usually play in. We take it quite seriously but it is also important for us to enjoy the experience and the atmosphere the PBL brings with it.”
What’s next?
Prannoy will now look to carry his good form into the circuit and upcoming tournaments. As far as Kashyap is concerned, the extent of his injury is yet to be known and will only be clear in a day or two.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The match between the two Indian shuttlers made for some fascinating viewing. Both players were charged up and conjured up some high-quality badminton, with Kashyap displaying his trademark diving retrievals on various occasions.
However, it was Prannoy who clinched the win, which ultimately proved to be in vain as the Smashers won the final encounter to take the trophy home.
