Golden generation

Tribune News Service

Indervir Grewal

Chandigarh, September 19

When Anahat Singh was just two years old, Saurav Ghosal was already a three-time Asian Games medallist.

As the 15-year-old prodigy prepares to make her Asian Games debut, the indefatigable Ghosal is ready for another foray into the continental event.

1 India have won only one gold in squash at the Asian Games. India’s total medals are 13 (1 gold, 3 silver, 9 bronze). At the last edition, India won 5 medals (1 silver, 4 bronze)

7 Saurav Ghosal has won seven medals — the most by an India — at the Asian Games

INDIA’S SQUAD

Men’s team Saurav Ghosal, Abhay Singh, Mahesh Mangaonkar, Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu

Women’s team Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal Karthik, Anahat Singh, Tanvi Khanna

An eight-time medallist at the Asian Games, having finished on the podium at every edition since 2006, Ghosal is hungry for more.

At 37, Ghosal, who turned professional 20 years ago, is still India’s flagbearer in squash. Last year, he won two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games, to add to a silver from 2018, and a mixed doubles gold at the World Doubles Championships. Earlier this year, he helped the Indian team to a third-place finish in the World Cup.

In the Asian Games, Ghosal is the only Indian to reach the final in the individual section. He suffered a heart-breaking loss in 2014, after being up 2-0 in the five-game final, but still returned four years later to win his third individual and fifth overall bronze medal.

Despite the age factor going against him, Ghosal will look to defy the odds and win a historic gold for India. Nine years ago, Ghosal had already played his part in winning India their first gold, in the men’s team event, in the sport. The team could not replicate its success at the last edition, winning bronze. However, with two players from the 2014 team — Harinder Pal Singh (34 years old) and Mahesh Mangaonkar (29) — by Ghosal’s side, India will be banking on their vast experience to win their second gold.

Leading the women’s charge will also be a couple of highly decorated veteran players — 37-year-old Joshna Chinappa and 31-year-old Dipika Pallikal Karthik. Both are four-time medallists at the Asian Games.

It is in the doubles event, though, that the duo has found most success. Joshna and Dipika, who won the women’s doubles gold in the 2014 CWG, have again found a rich vein of form. Last year, they won the women’s doubles gold at the World Doubles Championships. Dipika won another gold in the mixed doubles with Ghosal. Incidentally, the Hangzhou edition will be the first time that the Asian Games will have a doubles (mixed) event.

The women’s team won back-to-back silver medals in the last two editions. Hopefully, the addition of the teenage sensation Anahat — the under-15 Asian champion in 2022 and the under-17 Asian champion in 2023 — can add the spark that would take the team to gold.

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