Kidambi Srikanth on Thomas Cup win: The feeling hasn’t sunk in yet

Badminton ace, Padma Shri Kidambi Srikanth has shown his prowess among the 10-man team that recently won the Thomas Cup — for the first time in tournament’s 74-year-long history — and still says that post the victory, “the feeling hasn’t sunk in as yet”. Kidambi, along with HS Prannoy, was the senior-most member of the team that achieved unprecedented glory in Bangkok on Sunday.

This win isn’t just a solo act, but a game plan that appears thought though. The boys looks every bit supportive of each other, throughout, which makes one think if they had thought of winning even before landing in Bangkok! “We consciously told each other to be positive. We went out for team dinners, and practised together,” shares the 29-year-old, adding, “We only had three four days to practise at the academy, and all of us wanted to practise at the academy. We wanted be as a team, travel as a team. We even came here thinking we have to support each other. Whoever is sitting in the dug out, has to cheer, and have the opponent team, the person on court has to feel like they are playing against 10 players of Indian team, not just one! It’s definitely a team victory. You have to perform as a team, and be as a team. And we have achieved this here at the Thomas Cup.”

“I don’t think I can forget the match, or this tournament (ever). I am here still in Bangkok, and playing another tournament which is this week. It will take another day for the feeling to sink in,” adds the Arjuna awardee, confessing, “When I come back to India, I will definitely eat food at home, food made by my mother, and also some biryani (smiles)!”

Mention how coach and former badminton player, Pullela Gopichand called this win as bigger than the 1983 Cricket World Cup triumph — in an interview to a media house — and the men’s badminton team skipper, says, “We all know how big cup World Cup is for cricket, and Thomas Cup is as big as that for badminton. We’re sure this win is one the biggest win in the history of badminton for India. And I am sure this will definitely be as high as the 1983 World Cup for cricket.”

It’s the magnitude of the achievement that made them receive a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, post the match. Srikanth says, “I didn’t expect the call. It was just great, and made all of us happy. To have the PM call and congratulate gives you a lot of happiness. He told he had also followed our progress. All of us were really thankful for this great gesture.”

Each member of the winning squad will receive a cash award of ₹1 crore, as per a recent announcement from. And this makes one ask Srikanth if he feel this victory calls for another Chak De (2007) film, to inspire younger generation to take to badminton? “I have no plans for anything like that at the moment. I don’t really want to think about anything as long as I am playing this professionally. At the moment, I am not really thinking about it. Let’s see what will excite me in the future once I retire. Nobody knows what’ll excite me,” says the Arjuna awardee.

With gruelling matches against tough competitors, what often comes along is the dealing with the mental pressure to perform the best. And amid all the talk of athletes facing challenges to maintain their mental health, Srikanth says, for him, “It’s important to be in the present when you’re in the match. You have to be really be able to know what is happening around you. And what you should do. And for that you have to be focused. And if you’re constantly trying to stay in the present, and focused, you only think about how you have to play the next point. It is okay, and that is what I really do. I think it keeps me really there in the match for the then and there moment.”

Thanking his parents, brother Nandagopal, and coach Gopichand, who have always been a constant support to him, Srikanth adds: “I don’t think without the family’s support, you’d be able to reach this level. The advantage I had was that he used to play, and I if am not playing my best, he tries to correct me and tries to make me understand where it is not working, and doing mistakes. Coach Gopichand sir has been that have always been there. He really helped me a lot in the transition from doubles to singles, which I had during my early days after juniors. He really worked hard for me. He gets a lot of credit for my success. And physio Kiran has always been there since the time I joined at the academy. And taking care of me last eight-nine years. And coach Siyadath, who has been travelling with me for the senior events. He’s also part of the Thomas Cup team, and has been there from the very beginning.”

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