The 2020 edition of the prestigious Sudirman Cup, the world mixed team event will be played in Finland from September 26 this year. India is drawn in a tough group where China, Thailand and Finland will play each other in Group A. Top two teams will qualify for quarter-finals where draws will be held again to determine who will play which country. India is in 9 -16 seed bracket while Thailand is seeded higher in the 5-8 seed bracket and top speed China, favourite to win the Cup, is in 1-4 seed bracket. China will be looking forward to winning the trophy for the 12th time. While India should have no problems against rookies Finland, China and Thailand will be huge stumbling blocks.
Vimal Kumar, former chief national coach and currently a director with the acclaimed Prakash Padukone badminton academy in Bengaluru, opines that it will be tough for India as the team is already weak with both world No.7 PV Sindhu and world No.19 Saina Nehwal having pulled out of Sudirman cup.
While Sindhu wants to rest after a hectic Tokyo Olympics campaign, Saina has not given any reason so far.
“We are already weakened with withdrawal of Sindhu especially as she was one player who could have taken on top Chinese players like 2nd ranked Chen Yufei or 9th ranked He Bingjiao, who are most likely to play the women’s singles match. We will depend on young faces like Malvika Bansod, Tanisha Crasto or Aditi Bhatt, anyone who is chosen to play the singles. On a positive side it will be a chance for them to play a matured game and learn to play under pressure.”
Vimal further said, “We are not really strong in women’s doubles where veterans Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy will really have to play out of their skins to prevail over any pair thrown in by the Chinese.”
In mixed doubles 22-ranked Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Ashwini Ponnappa may be pitted against world No.1 duo of Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong or the 2nd ranked pair of Wang Yilyu-Huang Dong Ping. While the Indian pair is good, it will still be an uphill task for them.
According to Vimal, men’s singles is also looking dicey with former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth out of form for almost a year. “He has not been doing well on the circuit. We will have to see his confidence and fitness to take on 6th ranked Chen Long or 18th ranked Shi Yuqi. Srikanth incidentally is ranked 14, one notch above Sai Praneeth, who got a bronze at the last World Championships. Sai disappointed us in Tokyo. He had a good draw but did not play an inspired game. Whether he has recovered mentally and is really fit remains to be seen.”
The country’s best chance is in men’s doubles where Satwik and Chirag Shetty can do overperform. The world No.10 pair has been playing well and were decidedly unlucky not to qualify for the quarter-finals at Tokyo. China has 4th ranked Li Jun Hui/Liu Yu Chen, who will play most likely against us. On a good day Satwik/Chirag can take on them.
Against Thailand as well, India will face problems in women’s singles as 6th-ranked Ratchanok Intanon is far too good and will win against any Indian player pitted against her. Ditto for Pornpawee Chochuwang, the world No.10. In mixed doubles, Thailand is far too strong as they have 3rd-ranked Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
In women’s doubles 27-ranked Ashwini-Sikki should face 8th ranked Rawinda Prajongjai-Jongophan Kititharakul.
“I feel we will win the men doubles as Thailand pair of Bodin Isara/Moneepong Jongjit, ranked 45, may not be able to take on the speed and aggression of our pair. This is one event we will win and we have a good chance in singles as right now, Thailand does not have strong players. We should defeat 18th-ranked Kantaphon Wangcharoen, 25th-ranked Kunlavut Vitidsarn or 29th-ranked Sitthikom Thammasin,” Vimal said.
India should have an interesting Sudirman Cup campaign and the player to look out for will be Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
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