Life will never be same again post this scenario but we should be positive: Pullela Gopichand on COVID-19

CHENNAI: "Life will never be the same again post this scenario,” the profound words of Pullela
Gopichand encapsulates the extraordinary circumstances in which we are entrapped. Even during these times of pessimism and anxiety, Gopichand believes in positivity as “life needs to go on.” He speaks about how he couldn’t go home because he had to quarantine himself after coming from All-England
Championships in mid-March.

“I didn’t want to take chance so I went directly to a farm close to Hyderabad (15km away from his academy) because I have my family and parents,” he says. After completing 21 days he moved out only once, that too after seeking permission to meet his family. Excerpts:

How was the quarantine?

Twenty-one days, I was quarantined after I came back from UK. The way they were adjusting to the scenario and the way we were roaming around there, we had no clue about the virus. But when you look at the numbers now, we were just lucky that we were in Birmingham and the city was not affected as much. If we had been in London, we all really would have been affected. Even in our transit, we were
in Dubai. For me, both were big hotspots. I did not want to take a chance with people around me. So I came directly to the farm and quarantined myself. I did 14 days initially but then the doctors said, better you finish the 21 days. So I did 21 days.

When was the last time you stayed alone for so long, away from family?

As an athlete, I’ve had my share of injuries. So I have had to strictly stay at home for a month or month-and-a-half at a stretch. We used to live then on the second floor of our building, so didn’t have a lot of space to walk around. There are times when you have done it as an athlete, but this is the first time I
stayed away from home or the academy for so long.

You must have gotten time to ponder about challenges after the lockdown. Has this
given you a chance to look at things from a different perspective?

Life, in general, will change post the scenario, that’s what I feel. I think the lockdown is only one part of the story. For us to resume normalcy and take the necessary steps after this, that involves gathering, meeting of people around sporting arenas, that I believe will take a few more months. But life cannot
stop, it needs to go on.

We need to be positive and move on. So I think taking it one day at a time before we get control of the situation. I have made good use of the time, concentrated on coaching. I had a chance to talk to players and coaches and keep them fit physically and mentally. Hopefully, when we get back to normal, we’ll be in good shape.

Don’t you think there will always be that anxiety when we have to travel abroad
after this is over? As a coach, would you have to motivate and assure players
when they do?

This was evident when they hesitated for All England. I think it’s not only about sport. I think, in general, it’s not just affecting the UK or another country. It’s all over. Even if you’re here, you’re not
safe. I think it’s a certain amount of trust you have to have. And there is a certain amount of care and precaution you have to take. Common sense, a certain amount of etiquette you need and ensure that it’s OK. In the end, we need to be careful about what we do. If you have to go out and play, I think you have to take it positively. We have doctors out there working on the field and there are others. Actually, if you are representing a country you should take the chance.

Will the rankings freeze benefit Indians?

You will end up starting from where you left. It’s a good decision by the international body. It doesn’t benefit anybody or boost anyone.

PV Sindhu’s form slumped after Worlds. Will this break allow her to bounce back?

I think we can hope for that (Sindhu’s strong comeback). We don’t know how long this scenario is going to last. We have stopped tournaments and whether they start in August- September, we don’t know. The kind of practice we get and how she can shape up, the next three months will see. As of now, we take the break which is there, we must try to do our best and when we start off, we should be in a
position to be what we can.

Do you maintain that she didn’t have a slump?

I think like every year in her past, she’s had her ups and downs. But she’s delivered at the biggest tournaments.  So I think it’s not like she’s consistent on a daily basis but she’s consistent at the big events. So that’s what really matters.

In men’s singles, did you expect a little more?

I do think that we should have done better (in men’s singles) than what we did. Sai Praneeth did well at the World Championships. Obviously that said, (Kidambi) Srikanth, (HS) Prannoy and Sameer (Verma) could have done better.

Your academy has been shut for the first time. Are you experiencing some kind of
withdrawal symptoms?

All our coaches and players have been online. So we are continuing the work. Although I’d rather coach by physically being there, I think we’re doing the best of what we can.

Foreign coaches have alleged that there is a lack of system here... We have Agus (Santoso) joining us. And we have Park, so we have two foreign coaches. Of course, there is a lack of system, a lack of structure rather, which is very evident in say a Korea or a Japan or a China. They have a very structured
system. We have tried to build an Olympic system with Sports Authority of India and the Badminton Association of India. So coaches have felt that we don’t get the same kind of freedom as in other nations.

Next big player from Gopi’s academy?

A lot of effort from SAI has gone into the system. Hopefully, in the next couple of years, we will see good players coming out of the academy.