CWG on par with Asian Games and World Championship: Kidambi Srikanth confident about Birmingham
The focus will be on the badminton team from India during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, scheduled for July 28. Indian players, who recently won the Thomas Cup prestige will be expected to perform well after they are welcomed. with much fanfare after their great performance.
Srikanth will lead the men’s team with names like Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankedlydy and Chirag Shetty, players who have featured in the Thomas Cup for India.
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Speaking ahead of the tournament, Srikanth, who has seen highs and lows for the past four years, said he wants to be the best version of himself in matches.
Srikanth told PTI in an interview: “I’ve been more experienced and matured now. I always wanted to be the best version of myself. I was in the best shape possible at CWG 2018 and I’m very confident playing at Birmingham CWG.”
“I consider the CWG to be on par with the Asian Games or the World Championships. It’s a four-year event and the medal is a reflection of the country. I’ve played well this past year and for me, it’s about constantly trying to learn from my mistakes and play better.
“I’m not comparing myself to 2018. If I had to do something in Birmingham, I’d have to create the best version of myself that day.”
The 2018 CWG silver medalist, Srikanth shunned the pandemic and said it took two years after his career. The train driver blamed Covid-19 for not being able to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but said he didn’t think much of it.
“It took me two years from COVID-19 like not much is happening in 2020-21. Everyone has the theory that I got injured between 2019 and 2021. But it wasn’t. I had it. a few injuries in 2019 but I he said.
“Things would have been different without COVID-19. I only needed 5000 points to qualify for the Olympics, which isn’t a big requirement but the tournaments didn’t take place.
“If the events didn’t happen, what would I do. I didn’t think much of it (missing the Olympics). It didn’t bother me much because I knew there were a lot of events to play.”
After the international schedule resumed, Srikanth gradually found his joy and at the end of last year became the first Indian to reach the final round of a world championship.
He also won all of his matches in Bangkok to lead India to an epic victory in the Thomas Cup in May.
“I’m feeling good. I pulled my abs in Thailand, it’s a gentle thing, I don’t want to take the risk so I pulled. I’m fine in Indonesia but I feel pain in my Achilles, because so I haven’t played the last few events.”
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