Source: ANI/ANI
[Saba Sports News] Indian badminton has achieved tremendous success in recent years, producing notable players such as Pullela Gopichand, Syed Modi, Nehwal Saina, and Pusarla Venkata Sindhu. However, according to the Indian media outlet “sportskeeda,” Sindhu, despite winning an Olympic silver medal, is not considered the greatest player in Indian badminton history. As per the media’s rankings, the fifth spot is occupied by Gopichand, who currently serves as the head coach of the Indian national badminton team. In fourth place is men’s singles player Kidambi Srikanth Nammalwa, who was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 2018 and later achieved the world number one ranking. The third position is held by Prakash Padukone, India’s first badminton idol, who established the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy and nurtured many world-class players. Sindhu secures the second position, having unexpectedly clinched the runner-up title in women’s singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, causing a huge sensation in the badminton world. Finally, the top spot goes to Neville, an iconic figure in Indian sports. Neville won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics, marking the first Olympic medal for an Indian badminton player and sparking the unprecedented growth of badminton in India.