Return of ‘Submarine’ Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker resuming training is great news

The shooting nationals conducted by the NRAI in New Delhi and Bhopal have thrown up some amazing results. What was also heartening to see, the return of Saurabh Chaudhary, one of the most talented pistol shooters.

Saurabh may not have won the air pistol gold, but his raw score in the qualifying phase, 591, is proof, he is back with a bang. Nicknamed 'Submarine' as he hardly talks, Saurabh vanishing from the shooting scene was painful.

He had been neglected, nobody cared for him. How that he has bounced back to score 591/600 in air pistol is a success story which deserves mention. It is a clear sign he conquered the demons.

To not have won gold after the finals, something which went to Varun Tomar is no disgrace for Saurabh. The new shooting cycle kicks in, and this score of 591 will be very important for Saurabh. Given the complex matrix which the NRAI uses, scores in trials, Nationals and more competitions, all this will count in the build-up to the Asian Games in 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, next year. The selection policy will detail what a shooter needs to achieve, which will also set the template for the next Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.

When this writer spoke to Saurabh in 2024, he was calm and cool. He never reveals any emotion, that's his style. And he does not talk too much. How much of hard work he has put in to produce this score of 591 needs to be valued, since there were so many pistol shooters in fray. Now, it is clear, shooters in India rely more on personal coaches and who they are comfortable with. That the concept of national coaches has failed is well known. Saurabh will not talk of all this. He is 'Submarine.' Now that 'Submarine' has resurfaced, it is a good sign.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Manu Bhaker was asked many questions. She was also asked which shooter was/is most talented. She had mentioned the name of Saurabh Chaudhary, who had partnered her in the Tokyo Olympics. How Saurabh disappeared from the radar is not the story, his return is. He is in the mix now, and it's a good sign, as he is so young. Sometimes, it takes one year to be away in wilderness before returning with a bang.

It is also heartening, Manu Bhaker is back at the shooting ranges and training. The mandatory break of 100 days after Paris stretched to a month more. She was watching her former mixed doubles partner in the final at the Karni Singh ranges on Sunday. Now that Manu has also been bestowed the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, she can breathe freely and focus on her shooting. The comeback will be challenging. Given the talent pool India has and the scores which a Suruchi Phogat produced, it is good that Manu will be challenged.

Anyone who thinks Manu has been out for too long, don't get fooled. She is a champion in every way. To win two medals at the Paris Olympics and finish fourth in sports pistol is a massive feat. Manu knows she is in a sport where longevity is much easier. At the same time, she would do well to realise how champions like Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang kept competing, Bindra competed in five Olympics, a massive feat. No, not just to show up, but be a fierce competitor. There was one phase, almost 11 years back, when Abhinav Bindra called himself a fun shooter. The knowledgeable and discerning knew, Bindra was dead serious. That is how he put in massive preparation, finished fourth in the 2016 Rio Olympics, before saying goodbye.

Manu Bhaker will also look to reproduce the same form, consistent scores. Most people in India are talking about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. What is more important, be ready for the Asian Games. Manu has to again slog, train, attain perfection. For those who have seen her already train at the Karni Singh Ranges in Tughlakabad, she is at it. A long break means getting back will take some time. But those who know Manu as a fierce competitor will vouch, she has that 'killer instinct.' Can she again partner Saurabh Chaudhary, create magic? People are watching closely.