Srikanth, Sindhu in spotlight as India begin campaign at Worlds
HIGH ON HOPE While Olympic medallists Sindhu, Saina will look to better their tally, Srikanth eyes maiden medal Everyone comes with their full fitness. I am not thinking about reaching final but focusing on the first round.
In-form Kidambi Srikanth and two- time bronze medallist P V Sindhu will headline a 21-member Indian contingent as they gun for the elusive gold medal at the World Badminton Championships starting here on Monday.
After grabbing successive titles at Indonesia and Australia, Srikanth will look to continue his rampaging run and clinch a maiden World Championship medal when he spearheads India’s challenge this week.
Olympic silver medallist Sindhu, who clinched the 2016 China Open and 2017 India Open, will look to better the colour of the medal that she had won in the 2013 and 2014 editions.
While Srikanth turns up in Scotland after three successive final finishes, Sindhu enters the event after a couple of quarterfinal finishes in the previous Super Series events of this season.
First Indian woman to win a silver at 2015 World Championship, Saina Nehwal will also be in the reckoning and will look to brush aside any concern whatsoever regarding her fitness and put the best foot forward.
Interestingly, Saina and Sindhu have got byes in the opening round.
In the run up to the event, however, it is the Indian men’s shuttlers who have dominated the season, winning six titles.
“I am really playing well and I am confident. But everyone comes with their full fitness for such a big event. So I am not thinking about reaching final but focusing on the first round,” said Srikanth, who will open his campaign against Russia’s Sergey Sirant.
Among other Indians in fray, Rio Olympians Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, young duo of Chirag Sen and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and MR Arjun and Ramchandran Shlok will compete in men’s doubles.
In women’s doubles, Ashwini and Sikki, Meghana Jakkampudi and Poorvisha S Ram, and Sanjana Santosh and Arathi Sara Sunil too will try to make a mark in world championships.
Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand would hope his wards bring back more than a medal from the prestigious event.
“This is probably the strongest squad. The men have been doing well in recent times and four Indian players in the fray are good and capable of beating the best. Nobody is a clear favourite these days and we can expect a strong performance,” he said.
This is probably the strongest squad.
The men have been doing well and four Indian players are good and capable of beating the best.