Panaji: The badminton competition at the National Games will be fierce with a sprinkling of international players but the sport’s biggest stars have all stayed away.
According to a circular issued by Badminton Association of India (BAI) general secretary Sanjay Mishra to all state associations on Wednesday, the final list does not include superstars like HS Prannoy (world rank 7), Lakshya Sen (13), K. Srikanth (21) and Rajawat Priyanshu (28).
Prannoy has withdrawn from the National Games due to an injury, while the others are understood to be focusing on bigger international tournaments.
Asian Games gold medal winners, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the first Indian pair across all three doubles categories to be ranked No. 1 in the world, will also not make the trip to Goa.
In the women’s section, two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu is the big name that is missing from the original list drawn by BAI and sent to all its members on September 22.
Rising Indian shuttler Kiran George, who won the Indonesia Masters trophy last month, is the highest-ranked player in men’s singles. Son of former national champion George Thomas, the 23-year-old from Kerala has wins against Chinese stars Shi Yu Qi and Weng Hong Yang.
He is likely to be challenged by reigning national champion Mithun Manjunath who rose to fame after defeating former World champion Loh Kean Yew at the Australian Open in August.
Sourabh Varma, the 2019 national champion, has also confirmed his participation.
In the women’s section, Aakarshi Kashyap, (world rank 38), Malvika Bansod (47) and Ashmita Chaliha (49) are the three big names. While Aakarshi has won international tournaments in Kenya, Maldives and Bangladesh, Malvika and Ashmita were both part of the Indian badminton squad for the Asian Games in China.
Meanwhile, Goa’s hopes of winning a medal in badminton took a hit after star player Tanisha Crasto told the Goa Badminton Association (GBA) that it will be difficult for her to take part in the National Games, at the cost of the Abu Dhabi Masters.
The organisers rescheduled the badminton dates and slotted it to be held between October 19 and 24. However, the advancement of dates meant the event clashes with the Abu Dhabi Masters to be played between October 17 and 22.
“It’s an international tournament where ranking points are at stake and Tanisha cannot ditch her partners in doubles and mixed doubles,” a senior official told TOI. “Her presence would have been a major boost for Goan badminton.”
Dubai-trained Tanisha, a doubles specialist, recently teamed up with badminton star Ashwini Ponnappa.
The National Games badminton event clashes with other international tournaments like Sydney International, Denmark Open, Abu Dhabi Masters, Czech Open, French Open and Indonesia Masters.
2023-10-11 18:46:00
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