'Belongs At The Top': Dutt Lauds Srikanth Kidambi Following Malaysia Final

News18

25-05-2025

Badminton coach RMV Gurusai Dutt lauded the efforts of Srikanth to claw his way back into the limelight despite a swathe of injuries that troubled the seasoned player.
Star Indian shuttler Srikanth Kidambi gave an incredible account of himself at the Malaysian Masters as the veteran player cruised into the championship clash of the event with domineering performances throughout the tournament, before ultimately falling just short of the title at the hands of Chinese badminton star Li Shifeng.
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Former badminton star and coach RMV Gurusai Dutt lauded the efforts of Srikanth to claw his way back into the limelight despite a swathe of injuries that troubled the seasoned player.
'Srikanth is a player who should be in the top," Dutt said.
'As soon as possible, he should be in this circuit. That will be our primary target as a team. Be back in the top 20 and play in the big events," he added.
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Srikanth has been plagued by a variety of injuries including chronic issues in his shoulder, knee, adductor, Achilles. At one juncture, the severity of his issues were such that the 32-year-old couldn't lift his racquet up to play overhead smashes. However, his mental resilience and determination have helped him surge though the most challenging part of recovery.
'The shoulder issue has been there for a very long time. It is very on and off," the CWG 2014 bronze medallist explained.
'He has not sat down for 3-4 or 5 weeks this year. He was able to play and train, though he wasn't getting entries into the bigger events," Dutt continued.
'Morning sessions, evening gym, cardio — he was there. That's the improvement we wanted," the coach said.
'And imagine — in the third week of back-to-back tournaments, he delivers this kind of performance. That speaks of the fitness and the discipline," Dutt elucidated.
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Kidambi's all-out-attack preference has been replaced by a more rounded approach to the court, which has immensely helped the
'This tournament, he was actually playing an all-round game. It was not just attack—it was about constructive rallies and holding on. That kind of game creates pressure on the opponent," he added.
Gurusaidutt also heaped praise on the mentality that keep senior players including Srikanth and HS Prannoy driven despite their illustrious careers.
'Srikanth and Prannoy are showing younger players what discipline can do — not just in preparation, but in life. He didn't get the flow earlier, but he stayed the course. Now he's found it," the CWG youth games 2008 gold medallist said.
The 35-year-old also citied the importance of environment during all phases of training including practice, rest and recovery, and added that the rush that accompanies victory over top players in unparalleled.
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'Imagine — the guy you beat is now playing a 500 final, beating top players. That's a huge motivation," Gurusaidutt opined.
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'For a player like him, the correct environment matters—how hard to push on a particular day, what kind of training. He's shown this result, so now it's even more important to reassess regularly."
'His ranking is important. He should be playing 1000s and 750s, but to get there, he needs to perform in the 300s and 500s. So that's the plan—and most importantly, keep checking his fitness," he added.
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tags :
badminton news gurusai dutt India Malaysia Masters srikanth kidambi
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 25, 2025, 16:37 IST
News sports 'Belongs At The Top': Dutt Lauds Srikanth Kidambi Following Malaysia Final