Indian badminton legend Pullela Gopichand has hailed the achievement of PV Sindhu, and said that he believes her silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics helped popularise the sport in the country.
He was present at the logo unveiling of Premier Badminton League (PBL) franchise Bengaluru Blasters and said that interest in the sport is at an all-time high in India.
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Speaking at the event, Gopichand highlighted that badminton has been doing superbly in the last few years and he was delighted to see the growth of the sport. The league will only help in increasing the craze and motivate youngsters to take up the sport. He lauded Sindhu’s performance at the recently concluded 2016 Rio Olympics and noted that it proved crucial in generating interest in the sport throughout the country.
“Badminton has done well for the last few years and after the Olympic silver this year, interest is at an all-time high,” Gopichand told Deccan Chronicle.
He also said that the inclusion of big and known players has helped the league in a substantial way, increasing its reach to a large number of people. However, he felt that there is need for more domestic players to sign up for the league and it is crucial for them to perform consistently to help Indian badminton grow and reach greater heights.
“We have 17 Olympic medallists participating in this season’s PBL, including world no. 1 Carolina Marin. If you look at the league, this is by far the best in the world,” he added while speaking to Deccan Chronicle.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was announced as the co-owner of the Bengaluru Blasters franchise, which is also co-owned by actors Allu Aravind, Nimmagadda Prasad, Chiranjeevi and Akkineni Nagarjuna. A special event was organised to unveil the logo of revamped franchise which will be coached by Gopichand and will be looking to win the upcoming PBL 2017 season.
Also Read: PBL 2017 Team Profile: Bengaluru Blasters
Bengaluru Blasters, who were previously known as Bengaluru Topguns, had a forgettable last edition where they were placed at the bottom of the table. They must aim to turn the tables around this time and bring the title home.
Sourabh Verma, who has been in splendid form since last few months, will lead the team and will be supported by world number four and Rio Olympic bronze medallist Viktor Axlesen, Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Boonsak Ponsana, Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponnappa, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, Pranaav Jerry Chopra, Ko Sung Hyun and Yoo Yeon Seong.
