According to a report by Olympics.com, Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal, a medalist from London 2012, withdrew from the selection trials for the Indian badminton squad for the Asian Games 2023 owing to fitness concerns. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will host the tryouts, which are scheduled to run from May 4 to May 7 at the Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence in Telangana.
The ultimate Indian badminton squad for the 2017 Asian Games, which are slated to take place from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China, will be chosen by the BAI using the selection trials. In the Indian badminton team for the Games, there are a total of 20 spots available, with 10 for men and 10 for women. Two Indian badminton players, HS Prannoy and PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, have already been granted straight entry due to their top 20 BWF rankings.
The Indian team has also received direct entries for the men’s doubles combination of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy as well as the women’s doubles duo of Teresa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. The remaining 14 positions will therefore be the only ones for which selection trials will be held.
Women’s singles players Saina Nehwal, Aakarshi Kashyap, Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha, Aditi Bhat, Unnati Hooda, Alisha Naik, Shriyanshi Valishetty, and national champion Anupama Upadhyaya were initially scheduled to compete in the trials. The men’s team of Kushal Raj and Prakash Raj, as well as Nehwal, have withdrawn from the trials.
Nehwal has not been playing well lately. She has had a hit-and-miss season this year, failing to advance past the second round in any of the four BWF World Tour 2023 competitions she has taken part in.
Nehwal, a well-known player in Indian badminton for many years, may have found it tough to decide to withdraw from the selection trials. She has won other international awards in addition to her Olympic medals, such as the World Junior Championships in 2008 and the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018.
The Indian badminton team for the Asian Games 2023 would be expected to play at their highest level and proudly represent their nation despite Nehwal’s absence. With some of the finest badminton players from Asia expected to compete, the competition won’t be simple.
India’s chances of winning the Asian Games in 2023 will suffer as a result of Nehwal’s absence from the selection trials.
However, it also gives other players a chance to speak up and argue their case for being included in the Indian team. The competition is going to be strong with only 14 spaces available, and each athlete will need to be at the top of their game to stand a chance of being selected.
In conclusion, Saina Nehwal’s choice to skip the trials for the Indian badminton squad for the Asian Games 2023 is a setback for the sport in India. It also gives other players a chance to shine and establish their value, though. The competition is sure to be fierce with only a few months until the Games, and it will be fascinating to see which players make the final cut.
