Smruthi Radhakrishnan got the shock of her life on Tuesday. The most pleasant one, though.
She had given up all hopes of competing at the 2014 Asian Games, beginning in the South Korean city of Incheon on September 19, as basketball was one of the sports on the list of the Sports Authority of India, which had been trying to prune the Indian contingent.
“We had been training for four months in preparation of the Asian Games, and were getting ready to fly to China on exposure tour, when we were told that the basketball team would not be sent to Incheon,” Smruthi told The Hindu over telephone from Noida, the team’s base, on Friday. “We were all disappointed and feeling very low.”
Then, on Tuesday, SAI cleared the basketball team. On Friday, Smruthi was appointed the captain of the Indian team for the Asian Games.
“I am leading the national team for the first time,” said a delighted Smruthi. “We were all mighty relieved to learn that the team could play at the Asian Games, after all.”
This is going to be the second Asian Games for the 22-year-old Western Railway forward. “We have got a nice blend of youth and experience in the squad,” she said. “We have high hopes about youngsters like K.S. Poojamol and Kavita Akula, who has been playing in the United States for the past few years.”
Poojamol is one of the four Keralites in the team; Stephy Nixon and P.S. Jeena are the others. But, the team would be badly missing another Keralite — Gethu Anna Jose.
“I wish Geethu was still active in the sport,” Smruthi said. “She could have made such a big difference to the team. She is a world class player and has been an icon for all the female basketball players in the country.”
Smruthi said she was still confident that the team would put up some spirited displays in Korea. “We have been training hard, and the team has improved a lot under our coach Francisco Garcia,” she said. “With more exposure, we could improve a lot.”
The girl from Vatakara, a town known more for volleyball, has been playing for the senior Indian team for the last four years. She could make a sudden impact in basketball, after dabbling in long-distance running.
“I began playing basketball after I joined the National HSS, Vattoli,” she said. “Then I was selected at SAI, Kollam, and I became serious about basketball.”
