Indian shuttlers haven't lived up to their potential: Gopichand

Time of India

2 days ago

Nagpur: Legendary badminton coach
Pullela Gopichand
minced no words while assessing the current state of Indian badminton, stating that most players have not yet fulfilled their true potential. Speaking at a talk organised under the Orange City Literature Festival by Raisoni Foundation, Gopichand called out a culture of complacency and over-celebration that he believes is hurting long-term performance.
Gopi Chand, who is a Dronacharya awardee, said, "You might be World No.1, you might stay there for years, but if you don't live up to your full potential, you've still failed." The coach also emphasised that real success lies in sustained excellence — not just a few wins. "Look at Lee Chong Wei — 11 consecutive Malaysian Open titles. That's dominance. That's what I call good performance. We must chase performance, not just medals," he said, adding that Indian shuttlers often 'over-celebrate average wins' and lose consistency as a result.
The former shuttler, who has the prestigious All England Open title under his belt, added that the system often focuses only on the top five players, while ignoring the next 40 who also need mentoring. "Every coach wants to train the top five, who seem likely to win championships. But the rest are often left behind. That's not how it should work," he said.
Gopichand also believes the country has only scratched the surface of its true badminton capability.
"In 1994, we didn't even qualify for the Commonwealth Games. Now we've won the Thomas Cup. But there's so much more we can do. If India isn't on top, we must blame ourselves and this impotent system."
He stressed that while every athlete wants to win, sport is inherently brutal. "Only one can be No.1. That doesn't make the others losers. The expectations we place on athletes are unrealistic. We must begin celebrating the effort, not just the outcome."
Reflecting on his coaching philosophy, Gopichand said he tailors his approach to the needs of his students. "What works for them is what I'll follow. Many coaches never switch out of player mode — but coaching is about adapting." He also reminded young athletes not to be too harsh on themselves. "Don't cry after every loss. Learn from it. It's a sport. The nature of competition is tough."
Recalling the early struggles, he said, "My coach Hamid Hussain never taught me technique — he just taught me to love the sport. That's what mattered. We weren't poor, but we didn't have a rupee to spare. Still, I never saw it as a sacrifice — it was always love for the game."
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