"It was great to play with Taufiq Hidayat; winning was just an added bonus" - Prannoy HS Interview

Do you think IBL will be a success?

It all depends on how well they organize it. It is expected to be the biggest league in badminton ever. All the top players and coaches will be participating and coming over. It will be a great experience for all the Indian badminton players since they will get to play with and against the best in the world from every country. They will share everything and will get to learn a lot from coaches of China, Indonesia etc.

What is your training schedule like?

We have three training sessions in a day. One is in the morning then afternoon and evening. We have an off court session after our evening training which includes gym and fitness.

You won Silver at the Youth Olympics few years back. Do you aim for an Olympic medal in future?

Every player aims for it. It’s my dream to have it in my hand one day. However one has to struggle a lot and also luck plays an important role. Olympics come every four years and if you practice for 3 years and then get an injury just before it, that would be bad.

What are the upcoming tournaments lined up for you?

I will be participating in an All India tournament in Pune and then will be busy with IBL.

Gopichand Academy seems to produce quite a few successful badminton players at the world arena. Why is that?

I think it’s because of the excellent facilities provided there. Also not just that, the coaching is up to date with the international standards. Gopi sir travels with us in all the tournaments and see all our matches. He would then tell us our mistakes and help us rectify them. He also sees where other players are better than us and then trains us accordingly. With the intense competition that exists in badminton, we train intensely too. He also keeps us motivated which encourages us to keep improving and win.

What is your strength in your game?

I previously had an attacking game but now I play an all round game. Since we play whole year round, endurance training is important. I have been doing it a lot and it has helped me play well in all the lengthy matches, which have been quite a few.