MUMBAI: Saina Nehwal and Pusarla Sindhu have raised the bar for Indian badminton but the next generation will struggle to match their success until they improve physically, former All England champion Prakash Padukone said on Tuesday.
Nehwal became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton with bronze at London 2012 while Sindhu went one better to clinch a silver at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 before adding a bronze in Tokyo this year.
Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980, long before badminton was admitted to the Olympics in 1992, said the duo were more of an exception in women's badminton in India.
"There is a big gap. That is a fact," the 66-year-old told reporters after launching the Padukone Sports Management badminton coaching programme at the National Sports Club of India in Mumbai.
"I think the standard generally was very low but these two took it to a different level altogether. They've raised the bar so high that it seems almost impossible for anyone (to match)."
Padukone said some current Indian players were probably technically on a par with Nehwal and Sindhu but they lagged behind physically.
"Both of them were very fit in terms of speed, in terms of fitness, in terms of strength, in terms of power, which none of the other girls have," Padukone said.
"I would probably pick somebody who's very strong, not technically so sound. It's easier to train them.
"If physically you are not that strong you can take them only up to a certain level. Beyond that it becomes difficult because it has become a physical game now."
The focus from administrators and coaches is mostly trained on the top layer of players in the country and that needs to change, according to Padukone.
"In the pyramid I'm trying to focus more on the bottom, spread the game wide, have centres all over, widen the possibilities," he said.
"So that we have more players at the bottom who over a period of time can come to the top. Chances of producing a champion are much more when the base is larger. That's what is happening in China, Indonesia and Malaysia."
Reuters
Wed Oct 20 2021
![Badminton India's next generation a long way behind Nehwal and Sindhu - Padukone Badminton India's next generation a long way behind Nehwal and Sindhu - Padukone](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-10/51634698291_INDIA.jpg)
Sindhu clinched a silver at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 before adding a bronze in Tokyo this year. - REUTERS/Filepic
![MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721105894_AhmadZahidHamidi.jpg)
MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid
MARA diminta untuk terus meneroka potensi antarabangsa dalam industri halal yang mempunyai prospek besar menerusi program Gate to Global (GTG).
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan berikutan komitmen peribadi
Pengurus pasukan kebangsaan Malaysia, Kim Pan-gon menyatakan perletakan jawatan tersebut kerana komitmen peribadi.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
![Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721102997_SimposiumDronKeban.jpg)
Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi
Penggunaan dron membolehkan pemantauan pencemaran alam sekitar dan hidupan liar serta pencerobohan hutan dilaksanakan dengan lebih berkesan.
![Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71718142997_KimPanGon.jpg)
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya
Kim Pan-gon menjadi satu-satunya individu yang bakal meninggalkan pasukan manakala Pau Marti bersama staf sokongan yang lain kekal di Kelana Jaya.
![Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721109015_bekaspengawalperib.jpg)
Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan
Bekas anggota polis wanita yang kini bekerja sebagai pengawal peribadi cedera setelah motosikal ditunggangnya melanggar sebuah SUV di lebuh raya PLUS.
![Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719996195_MKulasegaran.jpg)
Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran
RUU Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentangkan di Parlimen pada akhir tahun ini selepas cadangan ketetapan bagi penggubalan Akta Kebebasan Maklumat dibawa ke Jemaah Menteri untuk kelulusan.
![Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108438_azizi.jpg)
Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu
Timbalan Ketua Polis Perak Datuk Azizi Mat Aris dilantik sebagai Ketua Polis Perak yang baharu hari ini.
![ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108165_ADUNRembiaPN.jpg)
ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin
Menurut Takiyuddin, keahlian Muhamad Jailani yang juga wakil rakyat UMNO diterima pada 10 Jun tahun lalu, namun diumumkan secara rasmi hari ini.
Kita perlu belajar hidup dengan COVID-19 - Pakar
Itu kata Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), Dr Aznida Mohamad Zaki yang berkata pihaknya akan berusaha semampu mungkin dalam menggalakkan praktis kendiri dikalangan orang awam bagi mencegah penularan wabak seperti mana yang pernah dilakukan sebelum ini.
LHDN lulus 141,406 permohonan PKPS 2.0
Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) telah meluluskan sebanyak 141,406 permohonan program khas pengakuan sukarela (PKPS) 2.0 yang melibatkan 102,572 bilangan kes pembayar cukai individu, 27,707 bilangan kes syarikat dan selebihnya melibatkan lain kategori seperti pertubuhan.
![Kisona kejutkan bekas pemain nombor satu dunia Kisona kejutkan bekas pemain nombor satu dunia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/61648198430_SKisona.jpg)
Kisona kejutkan bekas pemain nombor satu dunia
Pemain perseorangan wanita negara S. Kisona mencipta kejutan apabila menewaskan bekas pemain nombor satu dunia Saina Nehwal dari India pada pusingan kedua Kejohanan Terbuka Switzerland 2022 di Basel.
![Badminton: Harapan emas berpasukan campuran berkecai Badminton: Harapan emas berpasukan campuran berkecai](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-03/51520949128_lcw.jpg)
Badminton: Harapan emas berpasukan campuran berkecai
India, yang dinafikan kejuaraan dalam temasya New Delhi 2010 oleh Malaysia, ternyata mempamerkan watak berbeza.
![Pemain India kalahkan Lin Dan 'straight sets' untuk muncul juara Terbuka China Pemain India kalahkan Lin Dan 'straight sets' untuk muncul juara Terbuka China](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-11/81416145374_295x200.jpg)
Pemain India kalahkan Lin Dan 'straight sets' untuk muncul juara Terbuka China
Pemain perseorangan India, Kidambi Srikanth dan Saina Nehwal berjaya menggondol gelaran juara perseorangan di Badminton Terbuka China.