Indian squash players question role of coaches Poncha and Kumari in contingent

New Delhi: The Asian Games-bound Indian squash players have questioned the presence of Cyrus Poncha and Bhuvneshwari Kumari as coaches in the contingent, saying they can only play the role of administrators in the continental mega event. The eight players picked for the Asian Games have been training without a full-time coach and most of them don’t train regularly with Kumari and Poncha, who has been a longtime national coach. Sixteen-time national champion Kumari’s credentials as a player cannot be questioned but she is not involved in the functioning of the national team, and only travels with the team during multi-sporting events. But more than a team manager, the players need technical and tactical advice during close games, something former coach Achraf Karargui could have provided. But the Egyptian was fed up with the Squash Rackets Federation of India and resigned before the Commonwealth Games in April. “For technical inputs during matches, we rely more on each other,” a player told PTI. “Since we don't have a full-time coach, it doesn't leave us with much choice. Their role at the Games is more of an administrator than of a coach.” — PTI

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