A big win will help Gopi Chand

THE ONUS is now on India's leading shuttler, Pullela Gopi Chand, ranked No.6 in the world. He has been asked to chalk a schedule of which tournament he will be playing and what sort of training and where he intends to undergo. This was disclosed by Mr. Dinesh Khanna, Arjuna Awardee and chairman of the coaching and planning committee of Badminton Association of India.

In an exclusive interview to TheHindu on his flying visit to Hyderabad, Mr. Khanna informed that Gopi's current coach - Mr.Ganguly Prasad of Sports Authority of India in Bangalore - was asked to give full details about Gopi's international schedule for the next one year. ``He has to decide what is best for him. We will implement it from our side,'' says Khanna, who was a champion shuttler in the 60's. The acknowledged expert of the game has a word of advice for Gopi. ``He must be careful about his participation and training for the big events. The crux of the issue is peaking at the right time. Since he is among the top six in the world, there is very little to choose.

The one who plays to his potential on that day will be the winner. So, one should be mentally and physically tough to take on the best,'' he explained. ``Perhaps, what Gopi needs now is a big win in one of the three major events - the All England Championship, the Grand Prix and the World Championship. It is a fact that he has the potential to win anyone of them. We had rarely seen anyone play that jump smash so perfectly and with stunning regularity and power in Indian scene. Thus, one title among the top three events can well see Gopi's career take a different turn,'' Mr. Khann explained. It is also pointed out that Gopi has beaten all the three gold medallists - in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics - at one time or the other.

It is assured that either from the BAI or the Government side, Gopi would not be found wanting in support on any front. Referring to the champion shuttler's idea of having a trainer-cum-coach accompanying him on the circuit, the 1965 Asian Champion reminded that with this in view Mr.Ganguly Prasad will be going to All England. ``Well, I think Gopi is pretty comfortable with him and the results are there to speak over the last two years. The fact that he jumped in world rankings from No. 39 to No. 6 within a year without a foreign coach is a fair indication of how the two are working successfully,'' Mr. Khanna pointed out. About a foreign coach, it is said BAI has not shortlisted anyone but it is also stressed that there is no point in hiring a second grade coach.

Commenting on the huge gap between Gopi and the next best in the domestic circuit, Mr. Khanna reminded that even Prakash Padukone underwent similar experience that made him train in Denmark to be a different player. ``But, I am confident in the coming months, players like Chetan Anand, whose commitment has to be unflinching and do lot of hard work with that vital dose of killer instinct, and Abhishek Bakshi, Nishad Dravid can do something special.'' So, what Gopi has to do now is to strike a right balance between training and competition and be choosy in his participation,'' he asserted.

Commenting on women's circuit, Mr. Khanna is quite frank in admitting that there is a big gap between even India's best player Aparna Popat and the top players in the world. ``May be, the Commonwealth Games next year can see Popat make required progress and it was pretty clear that the avoidable drug controversy did take its toll on her,'' he added.

The 58-year-old senior citizen of Indian badminton said that the BAI would be conducting a special camp for top 12 players in men's doubles during this year. ``We are trying to get a foreign coach besides seeking the help of Vinod Kumar and some ex- internationals,'' he said to another query. At the same time, he couldn't resist himself from singing praises of Gutta Jwala and Shruthi Kurien of Hyderabad who won the senior Nationals doubles title recently. ``They have the real potential to make it big. The best part of their combination is that though sometimes Jwala tends to get carried away and Shruthi's sobering influence and better temperament helps each other. Both are young and have a very good game,'' he analysed.

Mr. Khanna, semi-finalist in the All England championship in 1966, agrees that had Prakash continued with the BAI the game would have immensely benefited in view of his stature and the respect he commands. ``But, I feel that his personal commitments didn't let his association go on with BAI,'' he added.

Referring to the concept of academies, the former India captain says that there is no point in setting one where you don't have a good, experienced coach, quality shuttles to practice. ``For instance, Hyderabad can have one as Mr. S.M.Arif (renowned coach) is from this city and there are the facilities also. At the same time, the move of SAI to have a mix of its coaches and former internationals in its centres in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore is paying rich dividends'' he added. On the new seven-point rule, Khanna feels that in due course, every player is bound to adjust. ''Even Abhin Shyam Gupta would be a different customer for he engages his rival in long rallies. Definitely, it suits Gopi's game much better,'' he commented. He is optimistic of a bright future for Indian badminton.

V. V. SUBRAHMANYAM

Hyderabad

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