HYDERABAD: India will field one of its strongest ever teams in the Sudirman Cup, the World Mixed Team Badminton Championship that will be held in Guangzhou, China, from May 10 to 17. Placed in Group 3, India are confident of breaking into Group 2 for the first time since the tournament was started in 1989.
“It’s the best team India has fielded in this tournament,” said chief coach Pullela Gopi Chand.
The team had intensive training session at the P Gopi Chand Academy. They are scheduled to leave for China tomorrow night.
There is no qualification round in the Sudirman Cup.
The competing teams are divided into seven groups based on their performances.
Only teams in group 1 will have a chance to lift the trophy as the teams in other groups fight for promotion.
The teams who finish last in the group will be relegated to the lower group, except the final group.
There are five matches in every round - men’s and women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Gopi Chand agreed that despite having some good players, India have never been able to break that jinx. But Gopi Chand is confident India will make it to Group 2, which has countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Poland, Chinese Taipei, Germany Netherlands, Russia and France. In the last Sudirman Cup, held in Glasgow (Scotland) in 2007, the under-strength Indian team lost to France 0-3 in the play-off final. The team was without stars such as Chetan Anand, Aravind Bhat, Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien, who had raised a banner of revolt against Badminton Federation of India (BAI).
Gopi Chand agreed it was a different story then in 2007.
“The team was not at its full strength. Also, Saina Nehwal was comparatively new to the international competition.
She lost to Pi Hongyan. But this time around, we are confident of topping the group and qualifying to Group 2, the place where we deserve to be placed,” he said.
Gopi Chand’s confidence stems from Indian players performing well in international tournaments. India’s biggest hope Saina Nehwal is ranked world number ten, Chetan Anand is world number 14 while the mixed doubles pair of V Diju and Jwala Gutta are at world number 10. “We have experienced players and are better prepared this time,” said Gopi.
Sanave Thomas and Rupesh Kumar are the men’s doubles combination. Shruti Kurien will will partner Aparna Balanin Women’s doubles. In fact, Shruti partnered with Balan in the practice sessions at Hyderabad.
Commenting on the team’s chances, Saina said she is confident of a good show. “We have been practicing hard and we have a good team this team,” she said. Chetan Anand, too, was confident of a better show by the Indians. “It’s the strongest Indian team to be fielded,” he said. Sweden, India, Scotland, USA, Czech Republic, Ukrain, Australia and Bulgaria are in Group 3.
For the record, China, who are the defending champions, have won the title six times. Korea have won it three times and Indonesia once, in the inaugural year in 1989.