CWG 2018 | Pullela Gopichand believes better scheduling could have won India a couple more medals

The Indian badminton contingent won five medals at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and it was their best performance at the Commonwealth Games. However, according to chief coach P Gopichand the scheduling was not at its best and added that the shuttlers could’ve won a couple more medals had the scheduling been better.

“The only thing I would say if we would have been lucky if the scheduling been little favourable we probably could have won couple of medals more. (HS) Prannoy lost close two matches - one to Lee Chong Wei and one to Rajiv (Ouseph) and he could have pulled off one of them. The mixed doubles was a close tie for Satwik and Ashwini, which we could have got another medal,” Gopichand was quoted saying by News 18. 

The Indian team had often played more than one game per day and the doubles team was the most affected.

“Overall, very good performance from the doubles players. They had a tough time, long matches, two events but they have come out very well. Individual medals is also a reason to be happy,” Gopichand added. 

The Indian team made history after they won the gold medal in the mixed-team event. They beat a tough Malaysian side in the final to clinch the top spot and the 44-year-old coach termed that team gold medal as the highlight of the Games for the badminton team. 

“Overall if you look at the performance, I am pretty happy with how things have gone here. The team gold was the highlight. To beat Malaysia in a mixed team event was the highlight, I think it is fantastic. I think for me, this tournament belongs to Ashwini. Satwik and Ashwini could have ended up with a medal. The win in the team championship was very critical to put the team 1-0 up and give the confidence to Srikanth to beat Lee Chong Wei, I think that was a big win. Lot of credit to them for pulling off against Malaysia,” he said. 

The final in the women’s singles was an all-Indian affair as Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu battled it out for the gold medal. Saina Nehwal won the final while Kidambi Srikanth who was elevated to the No. 1 ranking bagged a silver after losing to Lee Chong Wei. 

“The Saina-Sindhu final was fantastic. Srikanth's silver medal and also Satwik-Chirag and Sikki and Ashwini's medal was fantastic. It was an all-round performance. Saina has been good, I think she is moving better and looking sharper on court and the will to win has always been there. She has shown good improvement and good performance here,” the 44-year-old stated. 

Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the silver medal in the men’s doubles and it was India's first medal in the men's doubles competition at the Commonwealth Games. 

“Satwik and Chirag are very young, their game is fantastic. Of course, a lot of areas to work but when you look at the base quality, power and speed, we are actually looking at a pair who can do very well for us in future,” Gopichand further added.