Aiming for that elusive singles CWG medal, Saurav Ghosaland Joshna Chinappa will make one last-ditch effort to break the jinx even asthe Indian squash contingent, packed with country's best performers, has landedin Birmingham with a target to earn podium places in all categories.
The trio of Dipika Pallikal, Joshna and Saurav have beencarrying the Indian team on their shoulders for the last 15 years. Headingtowards the end of their glorious careers, all three are working overtime togive their all in their fourth and probably last Commonwealth Games.
Indian players have managed to win only three medalssince the sport's introduction to the Commonwealth Games in 1998.
One of them was the path-breaking gold medal won by thecelebrated duo of Joshna and Dipika Pallikal in the Glasgow edition eight yearsago.
They return to the UK as favourites to win the women'sdoubles title, having won the world title earlier this year.
Now a mother of twins, Dipika had also won the mixeddoubles title alongside Ghosal at the World Doubles Championship in April tocomplete a sensational comeback.
Barring Egypt, all top squash playing nations, includingEngland, are part of the Commonwealth. India have so far drawn a blank insingles but Joshna and Ghosal will be making one final push to change thatrecord. Dipika has not yet resumed playing singles after comeback frommotherhood.
"Hope so," said Ghosal when asked if 2022 wasIndia's best chance of winning a singles medal.
"We have come leaps and bounds since we startedplaying 20 years black. We all have progressed as players. Everyone is in witha shot in all the categories. The execution will happen over the course of thenext two weeks.”
"The CWG has always had a strong field. Winningmedal is a big deal here." Ghosal was seeded third in the previous editionbut made an early exit. He is not thinking too much about his opponents as thatputs additional pressure.
"I am not looking at the draw. That is where I gotit wrong last time. Just trying to take it one day a time and get myselfthrough to the medal round." The Indians trained with former world numberone Gregory Gaultier in Chennai for a week before leaving for Birmingham.
The 14-year-old Anahat Singh has attracted a lot ofattention after her selection in the women's team. Her performance too will bekeenly followed. She emerged champion in the girls’ Under-15 category at theAsian Juniors Squash Championship last month.
So far, Anahat has won 46 national circuit titles, twonational circuit titles, two national championships and eight internationaltitles. She is the only Indian girl to win the US Junior Open in any categoryand the British Junior Open.
The other CWG debutants include Sunyana Kuruvilla, AbhaySingh and V Senthil kumar.
Squad: MenSingles: Saurav Ghosal, Ramit Tandon, Abhay Singh. Women Singles: JoshanaChinappa, Sunyana Kuruvilla, Anahat Singh. Women's Doubles: DipikaPallikal/Joshna Chinappa. Mixed Doubles: Saurav Ghosal/Dipika Pallikal, RamitTandon/Joshana Chinappa. Men's Doubles: Ramit Tandon/Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu,Velavan Senthilkumar / Abhay Singh.
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