Doubles trouble
Injured Jwala pulls out of Asiad, leaving partner Ashwini Ponnappa and the team on the edge.
India’s modest talent pool in badminton’s doubles format was once again exposed yesterday after an injured Jwala Gutta pulled out of the forthcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, thereby ending the nation’s chances of a medal for the first time since the 1986 Games in Seoul.
The Indian women’s team had raised hopes of a medal after finishing on the podium in the Uber Cup team championship earlier this year and their chances were further boosted by adecent draw.
And just like in the Uber Cup, chief national coach Pullela Gopi Chand was banking on the two singles stars - Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu - and the combination of Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa to see them through.
However, all those calculations have now gone out of the window and Saina and Sindhu may well have to double up as one of the two doubles combinations in the team events; something that could prove exhausting and hamper the pair’s chances in the singles event.
Saina and Sindhu had taken up doubles responsibility even in the Uber Cup, but this time around the team events precede the singles competitions, for which they would undoubtedly want to stay as fresh as possible.
The problem has been further compounded by the Sports Ministry’s decision to only clear eight women from the 10 member squad. Doubles specialist Aparna Balan and the young Rituparna Das had been left out of the Incheon plans.
This means that the current squad has just three doubles specialists and the combination of N Sikki Reddy and Pradnya Gadre cannot be banked upon to pull off a tie in the big matches.
“We will try to convince the government to clear Aparna now. Let’s see what happens,” was how Gopi Chand reacted when Mirror contacted him.
The Sports Ministry’s decision came only a few hours before Jwala finalised her decision to pull out due to a knee sprain.
“I sprained the knee during training and consulted the doctors who told me that I would need at least 10 days rest. I had no choice but to pull out since I won’t be ready for the Games,” said Jwala.
Ashwini left stranded
Jwala’s withdrawal could also mean Ashwini will have to return home after the team championship if Aparna’s participation is not cleared by the government since she will be left without a partner to play women’s doubles. Ashwini’s mixed doubles partner, K Tarun, too has not been cleared to play by the government.
In the team championship, the coaching staff can pair Ashwini with either Pradnya or Sikki Reddy but the 2011 World Championship bronze medallist will need another player to partner her in the women’s doubles in the individual event that follow the team championship as Pradnya and Sikki have been entered as a combination there.
Tournament rules allow for one of the partners to be replaced, but all will depend on whether Aparna is allowed to join the team and one of the men’s doubles player is roped in to play mixed with Ashwini by the team management.
When contacted, Ashwini admitted that she had no idea what would happen in the individual events. “Tarun told me that his name has not been cleared. But I don’t know anything beyond that,” she said.
A HISTORY IN BRONZE
♦ India has so far won seven bronze medals in the Asian Games.
♦ Five of them were in the 1982 Games in New Delhi which included - Men’s team, Women’s team, Men’s doubles, Mixed doubles, and Men’s singles.
♦ The other two bronze medals were won by the men’s team in 1974 Tehran Games and 1986 Seoul Games.
India’s modest talent pool in badminton’s doubles format was once again exposed yesterday after an injured Jwala Gutta pulled out of the forthcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, thereby ending the nation’s chances of a medal for the first time since the 1986 Games in Seoul.
The Indian women’s team had raised hopes of a medal after finishing on the podium in the Uber Cup team championship earlier this year and their chances were further boosted by adecent draw.
Going by the draw, India was to open its campaign against Macau and would face Thailand in the quarter-finals with a possible semi-final showdown against hosts Korea.
And just like in the Uber Cup, chief national coach Pullela Gopi Chand was banking on the two singles stars - Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu - and the combination of Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa to see them through.
However, all those calculations have now gone out of the window and Saina and Sindhu may well have to double up as one of the two doubles combinations in the team events; something that could prove exhausting and hamper the pair’s chances in the singles event.
Saina and Sindhu had taken up doubles responsibility even in the Uber Cup, but this time around the team events precede the singles competitions, for which they would undoubtedly want to stay as fresh as possible.
The problem has been further compounded by the Sports Ministry’s decision to only clear eight women from the 10 member squad. Doubles specialist Aparna Balan and the young Rituparna Das had been left out of the Incheon plans.
This means that the current squad has just three doubles specialists and the combination of N Sikki Reddy and Pradnya Gadre cannot be banked upon to pull off a tie in the big matches.
“We will try to convince the government to clear Aparna now. Let’s see what happens,” was how Gopi Chand reacted when Mirror contacted him.
The Sports Ministry’s decision came only a few hours before Jwala finalised her decision to pull out due to a knee sprain.
“I sprained the knee during training and consulted the doctors who told me that I would need at least 10 days rest. I had no choice but to pull out since I won’t be ready for the Games,” said Jwala.
Ashwini left stranded
Jwala’s withdrawal could also mean Ashwini will have to return home after the team championship if Aparna’s participation is not cleared by the government since she will be left without a partner to play women’s doubles. Ashwini’s mixed doubles partner, K Tarun, too has not been cleared to play by the government.
In the team championship, the coaching staff can pair Ashwini with either Pradnya or Sikki Reddy but the 2011 World Championship bronze medallist will need another player to partner her in the women’s doubles in the individual event that follow the team championship as Pradnya and Sikki have been entered as a combination there.
Tournament rules allow for one of the partners to be replaced, but all will depend on whether Aparna is allowed to join the team and one of the men’s doubles player is roped in to play mixed with Ashwini by the team management.
When contacted, Ashwini admitted that she had no idea what would happen in the individual events. “Tarun told me that his name has not been cleared. But I don’t know anything beyond that,” she said.
A HISTORY IN BRONZE
♦ India has so far won seven bronze medals in the Asian Games.
♦ Five of them were in the 1982 Games in New Delhi which included - Men’s team, Women’s team, Men’s doubles, Mixed doubles, and Men’s singles.
♦ The other two bronze medals were won by the men’s team in 1974 Tehran Games and 1986 Seoul Games.
