If we're lucky, we may have an Indian challenger to Ding Laren next year: Anand

India's long wait for a world champion may not be very far as chess wizard Viswanathan Anand hopes that "some Indians" will qualify for Candidates Tournament next year.

Seven slots are available for Candidates in Toronto that will determine challenger to recently-crowned Ding Laren in next World Championship in 2024.

"re are good chances for m to qualify. It could happen in very next cycle, hopefully," Anand told PTI in an exclusive virtual interaction on sidelines of Global Chess League's announcement.

Barring Anand, who is top-ranked Indian at No 9, seven ors from country are inside FIDE top-100.

five-time world champion Anand has alrey announced that he's not going to fight for it again.

But likes of D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin have shown a lot of promise.

Anand could not agree more.

"We have many, many promising youngsters. If we are lucky, we may have an Indian challenger to Ding Liren.

"But at very least, I'm hoping some Indians will qualify for Candidates very next time. That will be very exciting," said 53-year-old who mentors some of m at WestBridge Anand Chess Acemy.

A FIDE deputy president, Anand also spoke on Ding's success and hoped that will popularise sport more in China.

"Definitely, it's an interesting signpost that China have both men's and women's titles. That is quite interesting. y were also Olympi champions back in 2018 and didn't compete in Chennai last year.

"Hopefully Ding's victory makes game more popular in China. As a deputy president, that's what I'm interested in seeing." Ding became first male world champion from China after sealing win with a 68-move win over Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi with black in fourth and last rapid game of tie-break phase in Astana recently.

world championship battle lasted three weeks of end-to-end slugfest featuring 14 classical games, and tie-break of four rapid games.

"Both participants went at each or very courageously. Essentially, y h confidence that y can beat or player.

"y went and did everything y could, and games were gripping -- six decisive games, even many of draws were exciting till end and a fascinating tiebreaker as well. We never h such an audience, and that's very, very good for game.

" match was very, very good for World Championship cycle. It has not been this exciting for a long time. re were a lot of discussions on why and how that is. But we see that current format can produce fantastic competition as long as players go for it like this." Asked wher China is new powerhouse of chess, Anand said: "For me, it's not obvious that y are necessarily going to dominate. Wher Asia is going to dominate is an interesting question.

"If you look at top-four countries in world in chess, it is China, India, USA and Russia. We are generally talking big countries with a lot of people playing chess. I think that will continue to be."

'Wrestlers charges need to be probed fully' 

Anand furr spoke about raging wrestling controversy and termed wrestlers' accusations, "very, very serious".

Indian champion wrestlers like Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia among ors have come out on streets, demanding arrest of WFI chief and BJP leer Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on sexual harassment charges.

"Justice should happen. We should have a full investigation. I hope charges y have me are investigated to full. se are very, very serious accusations and, refore, I hope y investigate it fully," Anand concluded. 

Image: PTI