The Indian table tennis, squash, basketball, swimming and lawn bowls teams are brimming with quiet confidence, backed by good preparation, ahead of the Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast. But of the five events, India can hope for a medal or two — or perhaps more — only in table tennis and squash.
Indian table tennis has never returned empty handed from the Games from the time the sport was introduced in the 2002 Manchester Games.
Led by the veteran Sharath Kamal, who will be playing in his fourth CWG, the men’s team is in the best position to bag a medal in team, singles and doubles.
G. Sathiyan, India’s top-ranked player in the world at 49, is in the form of his life, and would be hoping for an individual medal in singles and doubles (with Sharath).
A. Amalraj, a veteran of three CWG, will be a key man in the team event and doubles. An improving Harmeet Desai, India’s third highest paddler, will be eager to prove his worth. In the absence of Soumyajit Ghosh, the onus lies on Sharath & Sathiyan.
After a good performance in the ITTF Challenge Polish Open recently, Manika Batra where she upset World No.24 Saki Shibata of Japan, the 24-year-old is certainly high on confidence. The team, too, will look for a podium finish, which is a possibility.
The doubles pair of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik, who is the defending champion, is seeded third. Placed in Pool C with a Wales, Pakistani and Malta, the Indian duo is expected to progress to the knock-out stage with ease.
Saurav Ghosal, who narrowly missed a bronze in the last edition, is seeded third at Gold Coast. In the women’s singles, it will be difficult for Joshna and Dipkia, seeded eighth and ninth respectively, to make a mark. For the field includes multiple world champion Nicole David, former world no.1 Laura Massaro (England), World No.7 Joelle King of New Zealand, among others.
There is a decent possibility of Saurav-Dipika bagging a medal in the mixed doubles. No doubt, the preparations have been hampered with the exit of foreign coach Achraf El Karargui midway.
It will be difficult to expect a medal from India in swimming, basketball and lawn bowls for the country has never won anything of note in the earlier editions. However, there is a glimmer of hope for the women’s basketball team. Placed in Pool B with New Zealand, Jamaica and Malaysia, experts believe that the women’s team has a slightly better chance for a medal.
Lawn bowls is one of the core sports at the CWG. It was first included in 1930 and has been there in each of the editions except 1966. England, South Africa and Scotland have dominated the sport winning almost all the gold medals within them.
India qualifyied only in few editions. This year, the Indian team, represented by 10 athletes (five men & five women), would be taking part in the singles, pairs, triples and fours competitions. A medal of any hue is highly unlikely.
