PBL 2018 | Playing in a league is a welcome change for young players, claims Pullela Gopichand

12/22/2018

Pullela Gopichand believes that playing in a tournament like the Pro Badminton League is positive change for young Indian players who will get the chance to play with the biggest names in Badminton. Gopichand added that the PBL has helped unearth a lot of young Indian talent in the last two years.

The fourth season of the Pro Badminton League is scheduled to begin from December 22 and will see Pune 7 Aces take on Hyderabad Hunters in the opening encounter. At the launch of the tournament on Friday, national coach Pullela Gopichand spoke about the impact that the competition has had on the sport of badminton in the past couple of years.

"Apart from providing youngsters with the opportunity to interact with and play against the world’s best shuttlers, PBL has focused on unearthing players and preparing them to prosper at the highest level.

"Badminton is an individual sport, but playing a league is the most welcome change for players, who spend time together as a family, sharing dressing rooms with some of the finest shuttlers.

"In the league format, each player has a specific role to play. It is a great opportunity for the youngsters to spend time and train with legends of the game. For a junior player, such opportunities are surely something to look forward to," Gopichand declared at the launch of PBL season 4.

While badminton is considered to be an individual sport, the formation of the league will help inculcate a sense of togetherness amongst the various franchises that are involved in the competition. Gopichand, who is also a council member for the PBL, talked about how the sport has gained more popularity in the country in the last couple of years.

"Badminton is one of the most played games in India and has gained immense popularity in the recent past.

"With the entry of a new team in the coming season (Pune 7 Aces), the level of competition will certainly go up a notch. It will be a treat for fans. Hyderabad is the badminton ‘Mecca’, but Bengaluru, too, has a huge following.

"This time PBL will have double-headers for the first time. It’s an interesting addition aimed at building excitement. PBL has also introduced a fantasy league and I am confident such fan-engagement ideas will go a long way in promoting the sport," Gopichand concluded.