India Aims to Preserve Unique Badminton Style While Grooming Next-Gen Talent
NEW DELHI (AP) — The badminton Association of India (BAI) is taking decisive steps to safeguard its distinctive playing style and cultivate a robust pipeline of future champions. By enlisting former Indian stars to refine their coaching expertise alongside international coaches, the BAI aims to blend customary techniques with modern strategies, ensuring India’s badminton legacy endures.
BAI Seeks to Revive Traditional techniques
The BAI is concerned that the traditional Indian badminton style, characterized by deception and strategic net play, is diminishing due to the growing influence of foreign coaching methods. According to BAI General Secretary sanjay Mishra, legends such as Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand exemplified this style. Now,there’s a shift towards a more physically demanding game resembling Indonesian or Malaysian approaches.
“The Indian style is somewhat fading,” Mishra said. “Prakash (Padukone) sir used deception to win the All england, (Pullela) Gopichand played net game to win. But now,under foreign coaches,the Indian shuttlers are playing a more physical game,more like the Indonesian or Malaysian style.”
Former Players to Mentor Rising Stars
The BAI received 49 applications from former top players vying for coaching positions. Of thes,10-11 have been shortlisted and are awaiting approval from the Sports Authority of India (SAI). These coaches will be strategically rotated across training centers, initially focusing on nurturing junior players at the National Centres of Excellence (NCoE).
“These coaches will be rotated in the centres. We want these coaches to work with junior players at the NCoE before moving to elite coaching,” Mishra stated.
National Centers of Excellence to Build Talent Pool
The BAI is prioritizing junior player development to establish a consistent “chain of talent.” The NCoEs provide a structured environment for continuous training, a departure from the previous practice of sporadic 15-day camps before tournaments.
“Our focus at the NCoE is on junior players,” Mishra explained.”Earlier,we would just hold 15-day camps before tournaments. But now, with the NCoE, they have a consistent space to train together.”
The goal is to create a deep talent pool where the next generation of players can seamlessly step up, ensuring India remains a badminton powerhouse. “It will take 3-4 years, but eventually, the question of ‘who after Sindhu?’ or ‘who after Prannoy?’ will be answered,” Mishra added.
Strategic Training and Fitness Focus
Top players will have the flexibility to train at the three NCoEs located in bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Guwahati, each staffed with a foreign coach. currently, Malaysia’s Tan Kim Her is at the NCoE in Hyderabad, Indonesia’s Irwansyah Adi Pratama is in Bengaluru, and South Korea’s Park Tae-sang coaches junior players in Guwahati.
To ensure peak performance, shuttlers will undergo comprehensive fitness assessments three times annually. According to Mishra, SAI has established specific parameters and tests to monitor players’ fitness levels and readiness.
India to Host World Championships
Next year, India will host the senior World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. A team from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is scheduled to inspect the venue in June.
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India Aims to Preserve Unique Badminton Style While Grooming Next-Gen Talent
NEW DELHI (AP) — The badminton Association of India (BAI) is taking decisive steps to safeguard its distinctive playing style and cultivate a robust pipeline of future champions. By enlisting former indian stars to refine their coaching expertise alongside international coaches, the BAI aims to blend customary techniques with modern strategies, ensuring India’s badminton legacy endures.
BAI Seeks to Revive Conventional techniques
The BAI is concerned that the traditional Indian badminton style, characterized by deception and strategic net play, is diminishing due to the growing influence of foreign coaching methods.According to BAI General Secretary sanjay Mishra, legends such as Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand exemplified this style. Now,there’s a shift towards a more physically demanding game resembling Indonesian or Malaysian approaches.
“The Indian style is somewhat fading,” Mishra said. “Prakash (Padukone) sir used deception to win the All england, (Pullela) Gopichand played net game to win. But now,under foreign coaches,the Indian shuttlers are playing a more physical game,more like the Indonesian or Malaysian style.”
Former Players to Mentor Rising Stars
The BAI received 49 applications from former top players vying for coaching positions. Of thes,10-11 have been shortlisted and are awaiting approval from the Sports Authority of India (SAI).Thes coaches will be strategically rotated across training centers, initially focusing on nurturing junior players at the National Centres of Excellence (NCoE).
“These coaches will be rotated in the centres. We want these coaches to work with junior players at the ncoe before moving to elite coaching,” Mishra stated.
National Centers of Excellence to Build Talent Pool
The BAI is prioritizing junior player development to establish a consistent “chain of talent.” The ncoes provide a structured surroundings for continuous training, a departure from the previous practice of sporadic 15-day camps before tournaments.
“Our focus at the NCoE is on junior players,” Mishra explained.”Earlier,we would just hold 15-day camps before tournaments. But now, with the ncoe, they have a consistent space to train together.”
The goal is to create a deep talent pool where the next generation of players can seamlessly step up, ensuring india remains a badminton powerhouse. “It will take 3-4 years, but eventually, the question of ‘who after Sindhu?’ or ‘who after Prannoy?’ will be answered,” Mishra added.
strategic Training and Fitness Focus
Top players will have the versatility to train at the three NCoEs located in bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Guwahati, each staffed with a foreign coach. currently, Malaysia’s Tan Kim her is at the ncoe in Hyderabad, Indonesia’s irwansyah Adi Pratama is in Bengaluru, and South Korea’s Park Tae-sang coaches junior players in Guwahati.
To ensure peak performance, shuttlers will undergo comprehensive fitness assessments three times annually. According to Mishra, SAI has established specific parameters and tests to monitor players’ fitness levels and readiness.
india to Host World Championships
Next year,India will host the senior World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. A team from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is scheduled to inspect the venue in June.
Q&A: India’s Badminton Revamp
Q: What makes the traditional Indian badminton style unique?
A: It’s all about deception and strategic net play, focusing on trickery and finesse rather than sheer power. Think of it as chess on the court!
Q: Why is the BAI worried about the changing style?
A: They fear the Indian style is being diluted by more physically demanding, power-based approaches from other nations, possibly losing the unique edge India has historically possessed.
Q: how will the BAI blend traditional and modern techniques?
A: By pairing former Indian stars, who embody the classic style, with international coaches who bring modern training methods.This aims for a balanced approach.
Q: What are National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs), and why are they critically important?
A: These are dedicated training facilities where junior players receive consistent, structured training year-round, replacing short-term pre-tournament camps. This allows for better skill development.
Q: Who are some of the international coaches involved?
A: Currently, Tan Kim Her (Malaysia) is in Hyderabad, Irwansyah Adi Pratama (Indonesia) is in Bengaluru, and Park Tae-sang (South Korea) is in Guwahati.
Q: Anything about Fitness assessments?
A: Shuttlers will undergo fitness assessments three times a year, with specific parameters set by the SAI (Sports Authority of india) to track their progress. This helps in optimizing their training regime to stay at the top level.
Q: When and where will India host the World Championships?
A: The senior World Championships will be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi next year. A BWF team will inspect the venue in June.
Q: How can fans support this initiative?
A: By following the sport actively, supporting Indian players, and encouraging youth to take up badminton. you can also check out the results of the national tournaments.
India’s commitment to merging its rich badminton heritage with modern strategies promises an exciting future for the sport.Keep an eye on the rising stars and the upcoming World Championships!
