Sports Perspective

Friday, April 1, 2016

We can now beat the top pairs: Pranaav Jerry Chopra

This piece was published in Sportskeeda

Indian badminton’s men’s doubles scene appears bright with a couple of solid pairs showing signs of breaking into the elite top-10. The pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar (the other pair being Manu Attri-B.Sumeeth Reddy) have exuded immense promise in recent times, coming up with impressive performances on a consistent basis.
Pranaav Jerry Chopra has played his part in ensuring that he and Akshay have been able to work up a redoubtable combination on the court. The 23-year-old Ludhiana lad talks about his game and much more in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
Excerpts:

Q: What are your expectations for the year 2016?
2016 has been great so far, I had delivered good performances in PBL and Syed Modi, also winning the bronze at Badminton Asia Team Championship was a good start to 2016. I wish we continue the same form and win bigger tournaments.
Q: You must have really enjoyed being part of the Indian team that stunned mighty China 3-2 in the recent Badminton Asia Team Championships in Hyderabad?
It is always great to be a part of history and we as a team certainly created history by defeating the leading nations in badminton.
Q: You and Akshay had a fabulous run at the 2016 Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold, where you upset three higher ranked opponents. Must have been a special feeling.
Yes, it was a great feeling to win against these mighty opponents on home grounds in front of Indian fans. I must say the crowd support did us proud. It would have been much better if we would have been the winners but I’m still quite happy with the way we played all our matches in this tournament.

Q: Do you think beating pairs like A Pratama-R K Suwardi, M Conrad-Petersen-M P Kolding and Kim Sa-rang-Kim Gi-jung give you the confidence that you guys can break into the top-10 sooner than later?
Yes, it definitely gives us great confidence because all these pairs are in the top-10 and beating them is a sign of progress for us.
Q: Indian have a solid men’s doubles pair in Manu Attri-B Sumeeth Reddy and with you guys being a formidable pair, things are looking good for the Indian doubles scene. Your thoughts.
Yes, it is very important to have two good pairs in a team who have been defeating different top pairs of the world. It is also very motivating for the upcoming juniors.
Q: How much has the presence of Malaysian doubles coach Tan Kim Her helped you guys?
We have more specific doubles training sessions since the presence of Tan coach. We have well-planned practice sessions for the entire month. He asks us to focus on individual weaknesses and work more on the coordination as a pair and understand each other's game well.
Q: You have been playing with Akshay since 2011. What has been the secret of your success story so far?
I think playing together for so many years itself has been the secret. When u play together for so long you tend to develop a certain understanding with your partner that helps during tough matches.
Q: How you think the Premier Badminton League (PBL) will help Indian badminton.
PBL is a great success. It brings top badminton to India, benefiting Indian players as well as viewers. Not only just competing against the top players but also being able to partner them and learn from them about the strategies of the matches, especially when it is a close match situation and the most important part of the game when you need a strong strategy.
Q: Tell us about your early days in badminton – where did you badminton journey start?
I started in Sutlej club in Ludhiana (my hometown) with my dad and it just got interesting each and every day. With the help of people I could have some good practice sessions and started playing tournaments. The transformation happened in Mumbai where I stayed for two years under Uday Pawar, and then it was 2008 when I joined Gopichand Badminton Academy and started competing on the international circuit.

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I hope to break into Top 10 by the end of 2016: Akshay Dewalkar

This piece was published in Sportskeeda

Indian men’s doubles player Akshay Dewalkar has been riding on a wave of impressive performances. The 27-year-old Mumbai lad was part of the national team that stunned China 3-2 in the recently-held Badminton Asia Team Championships in Hyderabad.

Akshay, who pairs up with Pranaav Jerry Chopra, had runners-up finish at the 2016 SAF Games in Guwahati. The pair of Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Jerry Chopra had a giant-killing run at the 2016 Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow, where they scripted consecutive wins over higher ranked opponents.

Dewalkar who along with Chopra has been featuring in men’s doubles for the country since 2011 spoke about his game and much more in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

Here are the excerpts:

Q. It must have been a ‘big high’ stunning China in the quarter-finals of the recently-concluded Badminton Asia Team Championships in Hyderabad before you guys went to beat Malaysia, but unfortunately, lost to Indonesia in the semifinals.

It was a great feeling to beat China (we won 3-2) as they are a formidable side. K Srikanth was in fine form winning his singles match and even Pranoy and Jayaram pull off wins. It’s a creditable achievement to reach the semifinals after we prevailed over Malaysia 3-2 before we lost to Indonesia 1-3. Pranav and I lost to Angga Pratama-Ricky Karanda Suwardi in the semifinals in the men’s doubles but overall India performed quite well.

Q. At the 2016 SAF Games in Guwahati, you lost to fellow Indians – Manu Attri-B Sumeeth Reddy to settle for the silver medal.

Look, the competition at the 2016 SAF Games was not that stiff - we were expected to fare well and our performance was on expected lines.

Q. Indian badminton has two strong men’s doubles pairs – you and Pranaav Chopra and Manu Attri-B Sumeeth Reddy. Do you think the presence of two robust doubles pairs creates healthy competition?

Healthy competition is always good for any player. Manu Attri-B Sumeeth Reddy are doing well for the country and we are also trying to do our best for the country.

Q. BAI has appointed Malaysian Tan Kim Her as the country’s new doubles coach.

Tan Kim Her’s presence is really helping our doubles players. We are learning to strategize better and getting tips from him on how to reach to different situations during a match. All players are benefiting from his coaching.

Q. You and Pranaav had a fabulous run at the 2016 Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold, where you upset three higher ranked opponents en route to reaching the final where you lost to Malaysia’s Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem.

It was a superb tournament for us. We first accounted for the Indonesian world number 10 pair of A Pratama and R K Suwardi in the quarterfinals – subsequently we put it across the world number 8 Danish pair of M Conrad-Petersen and M P Kolding in the semifinals before we overwhelmed South Korean world number 7 pair of Kim Sa-rang and Kim Gi-Jung in the last four stage. Creating three upsets on the trot was a great feeling but unfortunately we came up short in the final.

Q. You and Pranaav Jerry Chopra are currently ranked 34 in the world. What goals do you have for 2016?

We will keep working hard and hope to break into the top-10 by 2016-end.

Q. The Premier Badminton League (PBL) was a great advertisement for Indian badminton. Your thoughts.

It was great to see the league happen after a long gap. The matches were really exciting and spectators also loved every bit of the action. I’m sure PBL will enhance the popularity of badminton in the country.

Q. What are the areas you guys are looking to improve?

We want to focus on a lot of areas. We want to improve our net play as well as our court movements. There is a lot of hard work ahead of us and we will keep putting in the hard yards.

Q. As a men’s doubles pair, what do you think are your biggest strengths?

I think both of us are attacking players and that makes a lot of difference to the way we play. Our attacking game stands us in good stead at all times.

Need to be mentally tough: Ace woman archer Deepika Kumari

This interview was published in Sportskeeda

Indian archer Deepika Kumari is putting in all the hard yards in pursuit of winning an elusive medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and is a product of the Tata Archery Academy, which has played a pivotal role in shaping up her archery career.

Kumari, who missed out on a podium finish at the 2012 London Olympics, is more determined than ever before to stand on the podium in Rio.

She spoke to Sportskeeda about her medal aspirations at the 2015 Archery World Cup and her preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics in an exclusive interview.

Excerpts:

Indian women have earned three quota places in the individual recurve event of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Are you certain of representing the country at the 2016 Olympics?

It is true that our women archers have bagged three quota places in the recurve event of the 2016 Rio Olympics, but all our women archers will be slugging it out in various selection trials to be held early next year before we know, who will represent India in the recurve event at Rio.

You had a fairly productive 2015 winning a medal at the Archery World Cup. How would you assess your overall performance in 2015?

There were disappointments at times but overall I’m pretty chuffed with my performance. My bronze medal in the Archery World Cup was hugely satisfying.

You have the experience of playing at the 2012 London Olympics under your belt. As you gear up to make your second Olympic appearance in Rio, do you think the London experience will stand you in good stead?

Absolutely! Obviously playing in the Olympics is a big thing, and I’m sure I will be richer with the experience when I go to the archery range in Rio.

Tell us a bit about the challenges of playing abroad as compared to playing in India.

In India, it really does not matter whether we are playing in summer or winter. But when we play in foreign countries, the weather is a big factor. Sometimes we continue playing even if it is raining heavily. At times, the strong wind can also affect our performance.

You came from a financial disadvantaged family – you parents slogged a lot to support your archery career.

Yeah, my parents has done a lot to support my archery passion. They want me to win an Olympic medal, which I hope to attain in Rio.

Your archery career really took shape when you joined the Tata Archery Academy. How much of your success you owe it to them?

I owe everything to the Tata Archery Academy. Without their support I would have not been able to achieve whatever I have done for the country so far.

Indian archers have been consistently winning medals in World Championships but do you think an Olympic medal is a must for the future of Indian archery?

Indian archery needs a medal-winning performance at the Olympics – if we can win an Olympic medal the sport will get more respect in the country and more youngsters will take up archery.

Every archer looks to improve all the time. What is that one thing you would like to work on?

I think I’m mentally weak – I need to work on my mental toughness.

There was a feeling that you like to stay away from the media. Your thoughts.

To be honest, I’m not comfortable handling the media. It’s not that I don’t like to talk to the media but it is just that I’m not at ease with the press.

Finally, how realistic are you about winning a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics?

It will be tough for sure. We competed among top 100 nations to qualify for the Olympics, where top archers from 16 nations are going to take part. The competition will be fierce and I have to give my best shot in Rio and land a medal for my country.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Indian badminton gaining attention than ever before: Gurusaidutt

Injuries have put a dampener on his hopes of clambering up the ladder in 2015 but 2016 is one-year Indian shuttler RMV Gurusaidutt is really looking forward to in his bid to make his performance do all the talking.
The 25-year-old Hyderabad lad, who played his part in Mumbai Rockets’ runners-up finish in the Premier Badminton League (PBL), spoke about his game and much more in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
Here are the excerpts:

Q: How was the experience playing for Mumbai Rockets in the Premier Badminton League?
Well, it was overall a great experience playing for Mumbai Rockets – we had a good team and a lot of positivity within the team. Also sharing thoughts with the more experienced players was beneficial for me.
Q: How will you rate your own individual performance for Mumbai Rockets in the Premier Badminton League?
I had a win/loss record of 3/3, I started off well beating Sai Praneeth in the opening PBL match and that gave me a lot of confidence. I did struggle a bit against Rajiv Ouseph but I really felt I could've pulled off 1 or 2 matches more for my team.
Q: Do you think the Premier Badminton League – which was held after a gap of three years – is going to create more popularity for the sport in the country?
Definitely! The response from the people and the way BAI and Star Sports went about their task was phenomenal. If this continues to happen we can see the popularity of the sport increasing and more kids taking up badminton.
Q: You battled with several injuries over the last twelve months. How frustrating it is coping with such injuries.
It is very frustrating for a player to go through injuries. I had multiple injuries over the last one year or so and right now my right knee is injured, but I need to understand that it's quiet common in sports and think of what best we can do to recover and try not to repeat it. I also shouldn't get bogged down by it.
Q: You reached a career-best ranking of 19 in 2013 – do you think your best is yet to come?
Yes, I was 19 in the world, then I dropped to 65 due to injuries and couple of bad performances. I do believe in hard work, so I'm just waiting to recover completely so that I can bounce back by staying fresh – my best is yet to come for sure.
Q: What are the areas you need to improve on to climb up the ladder?
At the moment I need to work on my stroke quality and strength and good training of 4-6 weeks will get me back in good shape, Of course, being injury-free is the most important thing right now as I can't afford to lose any more time.
Q: There is a need for extensive television coverage of badminton on all sports channels like cricket for the sport to sustain its popularity. Your thoughts.
I agree that television coverage is the most important aspect for growth of badminton . Popularity is directly proportional to an increase in the number of players along with their consistent performance. However, comparing it with cricket is not a right thing to do now as they have matches scheduled round the year along with IPL. All in all, I would say that badminton is growing well in our country and events like PBL will make the sport even more popular.

Q: How do you assess the health of Indian badminton?
I believe badminton is gaining attention more than ever before. With Saina Nehwal becoming world number 1, the sport has attracted many kids to take it up as a career. With the crowd that showed up at PBL, I can definitely say that it is slowly gaining fame and attention it requires.

Q: What are your thoughts on your overall performance in 2015 and what you are looking forward to in 2016?

I can say that last year had not been the best of the years as I wasn't consistent with my performance due to my injuries. I had been bogged down by multiple injuries that lined up due to which my performance and ranking degraded. I couldn't train the way I wanted due to the injuries. However, I started this year on a good note with a good number of wins in PBL. I am positive about getting some good results this year as I'm focusing mainly on my body and fitness so that I can avoid my injuries as much as possible.

Focusing on staying injury-free: HS Pranoy

2015 was a bit of a mixed bag for Indian men’s singles shuttler HS Prannoy. The Kerala lad was in supreme form in the first four months of 2015 before a toe injury scuppered his aspirations to go up the ladder. Prannoy staged a comeback from his injury but hasn’t quite touched the form of early 2015.

The ace, who is playing for Mumbai Rockets in the Premier Badminton League, talks about the much-hyped league and much more in an exclusive interview.

Excerpts:

How does it feel representing Mumbai Rockets in the Premier Badminton League?
It’s been pretty good so far. I’m really excited about turning out for Mumbai Rockets. The league is being held after a gap of three years, which only enhances the excitement element. I have been training hard and hope to put my best foot forward in the Premier Badminton League.

Who do you think are the favourites to win the Premier Badminton League?
All teams are solid but on paper I feel Delhi Aces and Bangalore Top Guns are quite formidable. Delhi has the likes of Tommy Sugiarto and Rajiv Ouseph besides India’s Ajay Jayaram. Bangalore Top Guns has K Srikanth, B Sumedh Reddy among others. Both these teams are strong contenders although it does not mean that the other four teams are weak – all teams are capably of springing surprises.

How do you think our junior shuttlers can benefit from the Premier Badminton League?
Surely our junior shuttlers will richly benefit from their participation in the Premier Badminton League. It is quite different watching your heroes in the Stadium from watching them on the television. It’s a great opportunity to obtain vital exposure of playing the world’s top players in the Premier Badminton League.

The Indian Badminton League (IBL) did not take place after its inaugural year in 2013 – all badminton fans will hope that the Premier Badminton League is held annually and do not go off the radar after one edition like the IBL.
I’m sure the Premier Badminton League will be a massive lift for Indian badminton. It is just what the doctor ordered for the sport in the country - I’m quite confident that the Premier Badminton League will be held consistently every year and become a big brand in the years to come.

Do you feel that the Premier Badminton League has managed to get the cream of world badminton?
I guess so. We have a lot of world-class singles and doubles players. Of course, quite a few top guys are giving the Premier Badminton League a miss because they want to avoid getting injury ahead of the Olympic qualifying process.

Looking at your singles play in 2015, you started with a world ranking of 21 and you are ended the year at 20. How would you assess your 2015?
Well, I had a decent first four months of the year and reached a ranking of 12 in April. Then my toe injury after my Singapore Super Series put me out of competitive action till August and I struggled to find my groove coming back from injury.

How challenging it is to make a comeback after injury?
It is never easy to make a comeback from injury. I experienced it as I was unable to recapture the good form of the first four months of 2015. It’s difficult to hit the groove when you come back from an injury-induced lay-off.

Do you have any set goals for 2016?
To be honest, I don’t want to set any goals for 2016. All I want is to remain injury-free and if I manage to achieve that, a lot of things will be taken care.

All PBL teams evenly balanced: K Srikanth

Kidambi Srikanth had a fairly productive 2015 winning two singles titles as well as two runners-up finishes. The 22-year-old Indian shuttler kickstarted the year on a good note, reaching the final of the Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold, where he lost to fellow countryman Parupalli Kashyap.
The Hyderabad-based shuttler subsequently won the Swiss Open as well as the Indian Open. He capped off the international calendar finishing runners-up at the Indonesian Masters, losing to hometown boy Tommy Sugiarto in the summit clash. Srikanth is battle-ready for Bengaluru Top Guns in the Premier Badminton League. He talks about the league and much more in an exclusive interview.
Excerpts:

Q: You must be excited about playing in the Premier Badminton League (PBL)?
A: Absolutely! The badminton league is happening after a gap of three years and it is a great thing for Indian badminton. I’m really looking forward to it.

Q: What’s your take about the competitiveness of the PBL?
A: I guess it’s going to be a formidable field with so many top players around be it in singles or doubles in both men’s and women’s categories. The PBL will be big fun for sure.

Q: Would you consider standards of the Premier Badminton League in the same bracket as Super Series or Gold Prix Gold?
A: As I have said before, the Premier Badminton League has some big names like Lee Chong Wei and Tommy Sugiarto among others. The league will be as tough as playing in a Super Series or Gold Prix Gold. It’s just that it’s a league and not called by any tournament name and the competitive level will remain the same.

Q: Among the six teams, who do you think are the favourites to win the Premier Badminton League?
A: I reckon all six teams are evenly balanced. It’s difficult to pick any one or two teams as strong contenders. There will be fierce competition and I hope my team – Bangalore Top Guns does well in the league.

Q: Bengaluru Top Guns play their first game against Hyderabad Hunters in the Premier Badminton League.
A: It will be a tough first game for us. Hyderabad Hunters are a strong side and we will have to play out of our skins to beat them.

Q: Are you expected about the prospect of playing Parupalli Kashyap or Lee Chong Wei in one of the singles matches?
A: I’m not sure how things pan out but I will look to put my best foot forward for my team. I think I have lost twice to Kashyap and won once while I have lost four times against Lee Chong Wei.

Q: How handy a platform like Premier Badminton League can be for the Indian junior shuttlers?
A: Undoubtedly, it will be a massive moment for our juniors. This exposure of rubbing shoulders with the world’s best will make them mentally ready when they hit the senior international circuit in the coming years. I have no doubts that our juniors will benefit hugely from the Premier Badminton League.

Q: How important is extensive television coverage of badminton for the sport to prosper in India?
A: It is very important that badminton is televised on a large scale on all channels. Look at cricket – not just live coverage even highlights package after the event is over is regularly shown on channels and players are known by people easily.
As far as badminton is concerned, barring three or four names people don’t even remember the names of our shuttlers and in this regard the coverage of the PBL will not just enhance spectator interest for the sport but also will make many of our guys more familiar in public domain.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy: Breeding ground for new talents

This piece was published in Sportskeeda

There are many sports academies, which are doing their bit quietly away from the public limelight in churning out new talents, who can serve the country with distinction. Punjab-based Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy is one of them – it has been ‘doing a lot’ to ensure talented youngsters get a ‘platform’ to hone their skills and make it big.

Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy is the brainchild of NRI twins – Baldev Sidhu and Ajmer Sidhu, whose association with sports for many years during their stay first in England, and later Canada, subsequently paved the way for the setting of the academy in Chakar, a nondescript hamlet in the Ludhiana district of Punjab. “We (both me and Ajmer) went to England in 1967 when we were fourteen and in 1980 I went to Canada. Ajmer joined me there in 1986. We were encouraged by our parents to be in sports from an early age and have been in sports for the last 55 years,” says Baldev Sidhu, who is the patron of the academy.

Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy made a humble beginning – starting with just ten kids in 2006 but now has more than three hundred children getting trained in sports such as boxing, football and athletics. “The idea was to keep the kids interested in sports while keeping them away from the negative side of life such as drugs and violence. We are focusing on three sports and have 6 paid coaches – three for boxing and three for football,” Baldev throws light on the academy.

Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy shot into prominence when Mandeep Kaur won the world junior boxing crown earlier this year. Baldev agrees her triumph has catapulted the academy into the spotlight. “Yes, Mandeep winning the world junior championship title has definitely raised the interest in and around our village so much so that our membership has increased by 40%. Mandeep’s medal winning performance has put the Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy on the world map. Since the introduction of the academy the village has become much more health conscious while producing many boxers and footballers at the national and international level,” Baldev quips with a tinge of pride.

There is little doubt that Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy will continue to produce talents, who will do the country proud - Mandeep Kaur is only a beginning.

One year break allowed me to recharge my batteries: Sarita Devi

This piece was published in Sportskeeda

Her emotional outburst at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, where she refused to accept her bronze medal after a controversial semifinal defeat, probably gave her more ‘news space’ than her exploits in the ring. Having served out a one-year ban, Laishram Sarita Devi is now all geared up to hit the competitive circuit as she takes part in a training-cum-competition event in Qian’an, China later this week. The week-long exposure stint will be hugely beneficial for the ace Manipuri pugilist. “I’m really looking forward to this exposure trip to China. The exposure will be handy as I will be sparring against boxers from China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Thailand - these boxers will challenge me the most in my lightweight category (60-kg)., “Sarita says a day before departing for China.

The 2006 AIBA World Champion only knows the importance of the China tour with the Rio Olympics less than a year away. “We will be training in Qian’an, which will host the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament from March 23 to April 3 next year. The winner of the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament secures an Olympic berth and we then have a second chance of qualifying by reaching the final of the 2016 AIBA World Championship, which will be held in Kazakhstan in May. Olympic berths are for grabs and I want to be in best shape for the Asian Olympic qualifiers and really keen to be at my best during my trip to China,” she says.

Sarita, who also won bronze medals in the 2005 and 2008 AIBA World Championships, used the ban-induced one year period productively, including undergoing a surgery on her right wrist. “I was having trouble with my wrist and thanks to Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), my surgery was smoothly done. The break allowed me to spend time with my two and a half year old son Tomthil, whom I miss so much when I am doing national duty. Overall the break enabled me to recharge my batteries,” she says.

Sarita is part of a 13-member Indian boxing team that will be in China. Besides Sarita, two other women boxers are accompanying her – Pinki Jangra and Pooja Rani.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Interview: Hope to do better at Super Series level: B Sumeeth Reddy

This piece was published in Sportskeeda

Buss Sumeeth Reddy has let his performance do the talking – he in tandem with Manu Attri has had a fabulous 2015 winning two doubles crown as well as three runners-up finishes. The 24-year-old Andhra lad, who won his first men’s doubles crown, spoke about his game and much more in an exclusive interview.

Excerpts:

Q The 2015 has been a great run for you and Manu Attri – you have won two titles (Belgium and Lagos) as well as pulling off three runners-up finishes (US Open, Gautmela and Prague Open. What has been the secret of your consistent success?

I think we both took this year much seriously and worked hard. We had great support when we were facing tough times from Gopi Sir. Both these aspects helped us.

Q You guys were top seeds at the 50,000 Scottish Open Grand Prix, where you lost to 5th seed Andrew Ellis and Peter Mills of England 17-21, 15-21 in the quarterfinals. What do you think went wrong?

We didn’t start the game well and conceded an initial lead, thought we made it 16-16. Few mistakes cost us the game. Even the second game I felt it was their day.

Q What is that one thing that makes you guys such a strong unit on the court?

We have completely opposite playing styles. So at times either my game works out or his, and on the day both of our games are at a higher level then we crack the top pairs.

Q There is always room for improvement – what do you think are your improvement areas?

I shifted to doubles just 3-4 years ago, and think my basics are not so strong. So, I’m working on these aspects with the new doubles coach Tan Kim Her.

Q Tell us a bit about first men’s doubles international crown?

The 2013 Tata International Challenge was our first men doubles title.

Q Throw some light on your maiden US Grand Prix Gold final - you guys lost to China’s Junhui Li and Yuchen Liu in the final. How exciting it was to reach your final Grand Prix Gold final?

It was a big boost for us, although we lost in straight games. It changed lot of things in our international career and made us a known pair in the international circuit.

Q You guys attained your career best ranking in men’s doubles this year.

It is nice to be in the top-20. We hope to break into the top-15 as well.

Q You had three runners-up finishes. What were the lessons learnt from those losses?

Most of the tournaments we played were tough matches- each loss increased our hunger to win the next tournament. Holding on to our nerves helped in most of them.

Q You had early exits in the All England and World Championship – do you think you guys need to raise the bar even more to make a big impact in these events?

We are trying hard to make a better mark at the Super Series level. I hope we make it in 2016.

Q BAI has hired Tan Kim Her as the country’s men’s doubles coach – how has been the experience working under him?

He is a great person on court and off court. We have started training under him recently and he is in working hard to improve things in the Indian doubles team.

Q IBL is being revived after nearly three years – must be exciting times for badminton players – both seniors and juniors.

Surely, it will help all players to execute their game in front of the home crowd. I'm sure this time under the BAI the IBL will be a great success.

Q How do you like to unwind when you are not playing badminton?

I mostly watch movies and hang out with friends when I have an off session.