Don't run after rankings, Prakash Padukone tells shuttlers

MUMBAI: Even as Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and now Kidambi Srikanth keep shining on the international badminton circuit, they would do well to pay attention to Prakash Padukone's simple advice: 'Don't run after rankings.'
The first Indian shuttler to win the All England title feels that the top players of the country must have the confidence to play in select tournaments in order to give off their best, rather than play every fortnight in pursuit of points.
"I think there is an over-emphasis on rankings. I would tell the players to concentrate more on performances instead. If you play well in whatever tournaments you take part in, it will automatically reflect in your rankings, but for that you must have confidence in your ability. When you aren't confident about yourself, you want to play in as many tournaments as you can. You shouldn't be scared about losing points," Padukone said at the launch of the seventh edition of the Tata Open India International Challenge at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) on Tuesday.
The five-day event will begin from Wednesday.
At the moment, most of the top Indian shuttlers are playing too much and hence are inconsistent, opined Padukone.
"I feel they are playing too many tournaments. They go and play everywhere, even when they aren't fit, just to maintain their ranking. I don't agree with this approach. It's better to select the best of events, and try and do well in them, rather than look to win everything, which is impossible. You lose consistency, because you aren't planning properly, and just playing in one tournament after the other. If you play selectively, it will help you to avoid injuries and stay fresh," he felt.
Padukone, who runs his own academy in Bangalore, felt that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) isn't paying much attention to doubles, a grouse that star player Jwala Gutta has voiced often.
"The BAI must recruit a separate foreign coach and organize a different training camp for the doubles players, because in a 'combined camp,' the focus will always be on the singles players," he recommended.
Padukone felt it was high time that BAI put a strong domestic circuit in place to boost the game in the country. "For the last few years now, I have been telling them to strengthen the domestic circuit.
However, sometimes even the top players don't take part in domestic tournaments. They should play in not just these events, but even in selection tourneys.
In fact, selection for taking part in international tournaments should be based on domestic performances, like it happens in cricket," he said.
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