Biggest moment for Indian badminton: Men's singles coach Siyadath after Thomas Cup victory

India scripted a historic 3-0 win over Indonesia in the Thomas Cup final in Bangkok on Sunday, with Kidambhi Srikanth completing the whitewash.

Published : May 15, 2022 19:08 IST

Coach Siyadutallah with the Thomas Cup Winner's Trophy after India defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the final.
Coach Siyadutallah with the Thomas Cup Winner's Trophy after India defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the final.
lightbox-info

Coach Siyadutallah with the Thomas Cup Winner's Trophy after India defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the final.

"There is no pressure on us. We are the underdogs. Believe in all the training you have undergone. Just give 100 per cent and the results will fall in place."

This was the message from men’s singles coach Mohd. Siyadath Ullah (Siyadath), as India scripted a historic 3-0 win over Indonesia in the Thomas Cup final in Bangkok on Sunday.

“Beating Malaysia in the quarterfinal was the turning point of the championship. Once we beat them, we had an eye on the championship because it was a very strong team,” he said.

RELATED |

For close to a decade, he has been the silent No.2 in the support staff of the Indian badminton teams.

But on Sunday, when Siyadath was seen giving the tips to star shuttler Kidambi Srikanth in the third match, which the Indian won to seal a famous 3-0 win over Indonesia in the Thomas Cup final, it was another reminder of his quiet contribution to the sport.

“From day one, the mood has been upbeat and josh. Phadeyengey (will tear apart the opposition). I have never seen such camaraderie  before with any Indian team,” Siyadath informed Sportstar from Bangkok.

“The players showed great team spirit. And it was possible because of so many things like regular team meetings, dress code, going together for dinner and breakfast. Even when there were some negative vibes when we didn’t try a particular doubles combination, captain Srikanth suggested that I convene a meeting and ensure that the team spirit is on a high and that no one member should be low for want of anything,” he explained.

“I tell you the confidence level was always high. And, the doubles combination of Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty is the strong point now. For, their consistency is now giving us the cushion in case of any early upset. Or else, there was always great pressure on the likes of Srikanth and Prannoy,” Siyadath said.

ALSO READ |

On the stunning display of H. S. Prannoy, the delighted coach, was not surprised by his performance because of the way he trained and has been playing in the recent past.

“I must say it is a complete team performance. It is a perfect 10, as they say in gymnastics,” he said with a big smile.

“Yes, this is the biggest moment for me personally, for the Indian team and also for badminton itself.”

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment