“We have a chance in all three events” - Prakash Padukone predicts 3 medals for Indian Badminton Contingent at the Paris 2024 Olympics

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As the Paris 2024 Olympics approach, India's badminton contingent is gearing up with high hopes and expectations. Badminton legend Prakash Padukone, currently in Paris to fine-tune the games of two top medal prospects, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, believes that India has a strong chance of clinching three medals across different events.

Padukone, a former World No. 1 and Commonwealth Games champion, expressed his optimism in an exclusive interview with Jio Cinema. "We have a chance in all three events: men's singles, women's singles, and men's doubles," he stated, highlighting the potential of the Indian badminton squad.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who will be spearheading India's campaign, has been under the meticulous guidance of Padukone. Despite not being in peak form recently, Sindhu's track record in major tournaments makes her a formidable contender.

"Definitely (on PV Sindhu’s reputation for delivering in big tournaments). She has not been at her best recently; this might reduce the pressure on her. Expectations are lower, and even reaching the quarterfinals will be seen positively. But I am looking beyond that," Padukone remarked.

"If she is able to reproduce the form, like what she’s doing in practice, I think she’ll do better than in the past tournaments."

Sindhu's mental fortitude and experience, having won silver in Rio 2016 and bronze in Tokyo 2020, are crucial assets.

Padukone added, "The difference at the top is so little, and it is also about handling pressure in the Olympics, and Sindhu has an advantage as she has won two Olympic medals. We keep reminding her to focus on her game, and the end result will be good."

Prakash Padukone’s Expectations from the Indian Badminton Contingent

The men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, currently ranked World No. 3, are among the top medal hopefuls. Padukone praised their consistent performance, stating, "The men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have been very consistent and have beaten top players. They also have a fairly good draw."

22-year-old Lakshya Sen, a Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medallist, faces a challenging path in his debut Olympics. However, Padukone urged him to remain calm and treat the Olympics like any other tournament.

"Lakshya Sen has a tough group, but he has previously beaten his group opponents, Jonatan Christie, Kevin Cordón, and Julien Carraggi. It depends on his current form. It’s his first Olympics, but he shouldn’t be worrying about that and consider this as any other tournament."

HS Prannoy, currently ranked World No. 13, is another strong contender despite not being in the best form recently. Padukone sees potential in Prannoy, saying, "HS Prannoy has not been in the best form, but sometimes it could be a blessing in disguise as there is little weight of expectations and you might reach the peak now, it can go both ways."

The relatively inexperienced women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto face a tough draw but are eager to make the most of their opportunity. "Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto in women's doubles have a challenging draw, but if they can qualify further, that will be icing on the cake," Padukone commented.

PV Sindhu, aiming for a hat-trick of Olympic medals, has shown remarkable dedication and resilience.

"That's what we are trying and hoping for. She has worked incredibly hard for that. However, at this level, one cannot commit for sure. Her preparations have gone well, and she is playing well in practice sessions," he added.

Padukone emphasized the importance of mental training and strategic preparation for Sindhu.

"I am focusing on tactics and strategy on the court, on what strokes to use when, and a little to do with the mind. About nine months ago, she was a little low on confidence due to frequent coaching changes and not being able to identify what was going wrong. We've worked on her mental strength and strategy, ensuring she makes better use of the right strokes. We’ve tried to cut down on mistakes and play percentage badminton — knowing when to attack, defend, and play safe. So it is finally all coming through, but it remains to be seen if she can reproduce that form during the Olympics."