Tough reality for Saina, lack of depth worrying  

Saina Nehwal cried foul when the Commonwealth and Asian Games trials were announced. She criticised the timing and selection policy and did not participate in it. It’s hard on the London Olympics bronze medallist but the next generation athletes, too, need to get a look in. The Commonwealth Games is not the biggest badminton stage either.

Saina is the first shuttler from India to win an Olympic medal and is one of our greatest athletes. Four years ago, she showed extraordinary strength, both physical and mental, to win the Commonwealth Games gold, beating P V Sindhu in her prime. But of late, there is little performance to show. Since her last title in 2019, the two-time medal winner at the World Championships has had a sharp dip in her output. Sample this: In 2019, she participated in 13 BWF events, making seven first-round exits; 2020: five events, three first-round losses; 2021: seven events, four first-round exits.

Her recurring injuries and Covid-19 are some of the factors that could have dented her play but those numbers are telling. But what is worrying is that the youngsters, who are expected to fill in her big shoes in the near future, still seem to be a bit undercooked. At 32, Saina, who’s currently World No. 23, is still the second-best ranked female player from the country after Sindhu. This reflects poorly on the next-generation players and the efforts of various badminton programmes.

Even though the youngsters are a work-in-progress, a tough match in events like the CWG or Asiad could help them elevate their game to the next level. Saina faced a potential star in Malvika Bansod earlier this year and the latter proved to be too strong for the veteran, who was yet to attain 100% fitness. Fitness (or lack of it) is something that has hampered Saina’s game over the years. Healing and rehabilitation at her age take longer. And the sport itself is gruelling as the players are always on the go, spending hours in different time zones in a short period. Maybe Saina has a point in saying she should have got a look in and selection trials could have waited, but the Badminton Association of India had already announced it and that was the only window available before the CWG and Asian Games. Perhaps, it’s time to look ahead.