Legendary badminton player Prakash Padukone voiced his disapproval of Lakshya Sen's performance in the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics, saying on Monday that players need to improve their handling of pressure and become more accountable for results. Padukone said that what Indian athletes needed was mental training to be better placed to deal with such situations, and recommended a more systematic approach like China, which grooms several players rather than depending on one.
"We cannot be content with just one standout player. It's essential to develop a deeper bench, similar to how cricket manages its teams with main, 'A, ' and junior teams. There is immense talent available, but a collective effort is required," Padukone told reporters. He said that the athletes must also take responsibility for their performances along with the system which should be there to support them.
Sen, who went down fighting to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in a draining 71-minute encounter, began well before losing steam to lose 21-13, 16-21, 11-21. Padukone felt that the youngster needed to work on his mental strength as much as his game. "Lakshya needs to work on his concentration levels, particularly when conditions are tough, like playing in the wind. Everyone makes mistakes, but he needs to get better at controlling them and cutting down on errors," Padukone said.
He also added that pressure was the major cause for Sen's defeat, indicating more focus should be given on sports psychology for Indian athletes. "Many top athletes at the Olympics have faltered not due to lack of skill but because they could not handle the pressure. It's time we put our resources into mental training, including meditation and yoga," he said.
Padukone felt that shooters like Manu Bhaker might do well because there is less pressure on them. "Our medals often come from unexpected sources because there is less pressure on them," he added.
Even as a deluge of foreign coaches has arrived, Padukone still made a pitch for international sports psychologists to give the mental preparation of Indian athletes that finishing touch. "There has to be an incorporation of foreign sports psychologists. While some of the Indian sports psychologists are good, there is need for a larger perspective. The players have to concentrate on the mental training much ahead of big competitions," he said.
Responding to fears that Indian badminton might succumb to the same crisis as tennis, Padukone disagreed. He said though challenges prevail, a lot of talent is available. "The situation is not as bad as it is in tennis. We have youngsters with a lot of promise; some are still developing. The system should concentrate on developing those talents rather than on just one star," he said. He also noted that there was a need to identify and nurture young female players for the future Olympics.
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