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Asian Games medalist, current World No. 20, and India's squash star Saurav Ghosal has been on the scene for a long time, 20 years to be precise.
But despite such incredible longevity, never once did Ghosal consider the possibility of playing in his forties. However, with the announcement of squash being added to the list of sports for the 2028 LA Olympics, there might be a change in plans for him.
Speaking to PTI after Monday's announcement, Saurav Ghosal said:
"I have to sit down with my team and family whether it is a possibility or not, if I can go that far and try and win a medal for India. It would be the moment of my career."
"I need to sit down and figure out how to go about it. If it wasn't for today's monumental development, there was no chance that I would carry on at 42 but now, I am sure there are others who would be 40-year-olds like me who would consider carrying on till the Olympics," he added.
The closest that squash has previously been to tasting Olympic glory was at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics, where it was a demonstration sport. This snub has since been a pain point for international squash players, who witness other racquet sports to be a part of the prestigious event.
Saurav Ghosal belongs to the generation that has long advocated for squash to be a part of the Olympics, and now that the dream has come true, the emotions are overwhelming.
"It is a sense of relief and ecstasy. In life they said there is time for everything and this is probably the time for squash. I wish I was 10 years younger. We are very appreciative of the IOC and LA28 for giving this vote of confidence. I am sure the sport will put up a great spectacle," he said.
For Saurav Ghosal, this marks a major moment for the sport of squash, which has been steadily building a large fanbase.
"We always had this ray of hope and it has actually happened. We are at the top now and it doesn't get bigger than this. Now we have to make sure that the sport becomes a regular feature on the Olympic program," Ghosal added.
Saurav Ghosal: One of India's brightest squash stars
Saurav Ghosal has been playing the sport since he was a teenager, and his achievements have certainly been many. The 37-year-old first rose to prominence with his bronze medal at the 2006 Asian Games. Ever since then, he has won eight more Asiad medals.
Other than his Asian Games success, Saurav Ghosal also became the first Indian to win an individual squash medal at the Commonwealth Games, with a silver in 2022.
While Ghosal has already proven to be an icon in terms of consistency in his sport, the Indian will change the game if he manages to win a medal at the 2028 Olympics.
