Saina Nehwal resumes training with Parupalli Kashyap, will join Gopichand Academy later

On August 1, the Telangana government allowed the SAI Pullela Gopichand Academy to let players start training again. While players like PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth have resumed training at the academy, Saina Nehwal is doing the same but at a private facility. The London Olympics bronze medallist is one of the eight Olympic hopefuls of the country and is expected to start playing at the Gopichand Academy in a couple of weeks.

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Saina Nehwal begins training separately with her husband Parupalli Kashyap in Hyderabad

While Nehwal was one of the players invited to the Pullela Gopichand Academy, she has resumed training along with the husband Parupalli Kashyap. Along with Kashyap, Nehwal will also be training with 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt. They are working at a private centre, which is close to the Gopichand Academy. 

While talking to PTI, Parupalli Kashyap revealed the details of their workout. As they started training after weeks, Nehwal and Kashyap began training "with the basics". “We have been training at a centre near the Gopichand Academy for a week now. It is a small facility." Kashyap explained. He spoke about Nehwal, who started a little after Kashyap did.

According to the former Commonwealth Games champion, Nehwal wants to "get fitter and reach a decent level" before she returns to train at the Gopichand Academy. Her training separately was discussed with Gopichand, India's national coach and their new Indonesian coach, Agus Dwi Santoso. 

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Kashyap, who is currently ranked 24th in the world, also spoke about how the Gopichand Academy can accommodate more players who can play together while following social distancing and other regulations followed by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Doubles specialist N Sikki Reddy, who is training at the Gopichand Academy, spoke about the facility being massive with its nine courts, allowing everyone to easily follow social distancing.

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Kashyap spoke about Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, who are three out of the eight players who arent in Hyderabad. The London Olympics quarter-finalist explained that since players train at the court for an hour or two, the academy should allow more players to train there. “Since badminton is not a contact sport so it can be done. In Bangalore, everyone is training and you need good sparring partners. How long can just eight players train?” Kashyap explained. 

Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and Reddy resumed training on Friday. They are following strict safety protocols the Gopichand Academy, which has allowed them to train after over four months. Shetty and Rankireddy are currently in Mumbai and Amalapuram (Andhra Pradesh) respectively.

Considering the COVID-19 situation, both will probably join players in Hyderabad some weeks later. Ponnappa, who partners with Sikki for international matches, will join after receiving more information about the international schedule. Ponnappa, who is based in Bangalore, is currently training at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy. Players who are at Gopichand Academy also had to get tested for COVID-19. 

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(Image source: Saina Nehwal Twitter)