DUBAI: Sporting leagues are on the rise in India. Whether it’s boxing or badminton, franchise-based tournaments are booming. Most of them are following the same pattern that started it all — The Indian Premier League.
While these leagues are a platform for many athletes to showcase their talent, the question of how many of them are actually helping the development of sports in the country is something that is often forgotten. Success in sports is measured by performances on the global stage.
And for many Indian sports leagues, the athletes have not yet made a mark internationally. Take wrestling for example. The Pro Wrestling League has seen many Olympic and World champions take part. But how did India fare at the recently held World Championships or the Rio Olympics for that case? That way, the one sport that stands out is badminton.
It’s been a great few months for Indian badminton and it is one of the most popular and successful Olympic sports in India.
According to national coach Pullela Gopichand, the Premier Badminton League (PBL) is a major reason for the sudden change.
“Badminton as a sport has grown over the last few years. That makes for a bigger, better PBL. It is a showcase for world badminton. It is a matter of pride that when we were looking at the first edition of PBL, we were looking at top players and Indians. Today, most top players are Indians and that gives us a lot of depth in PBL. Overall, I am happy to see this year’s field and the larger interest of the sport across the country culminating,” Gopichand said.
This year, the league is getting bigger. With two new teams in Ahmedabad Smash Masters and North Eastern Warriors and eight Olympic medallists, the three-week affair will be as competitive as it can be. That it starts right after the Dubai Superseries Finals is a little worrying, as most players participating here have had a long season. But the whole experience of playing with athletes from different countries and exchanging culture is something that they are looking forward to.
For young players, the opportunity of sharing a dressing room with international talents is a great learning opportunity. “Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is a classic example of how things changed around in a PBL season itself. The first time, when he was made to play, there were questions as to should he play or not. Midway through the league, he had consolidated his position as a player and in the end, he was made to play the trump match. In two weeks, a huge transformation had happened in a player,” Gopichand concluded.
vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com