U-turn leaves coach Babu in the lurch
The reconciliation between Saina Nehwal and P Gopi Chand has left coach Bhaskar Babu with no option but to return to the Sports Authority of India centre in Saroornagar, Hyderabad, and train budding shuttlers.
The reconciliation between Saina Nehwal and P Gopi Chand has left coach Bhaskar Babu with no option but to return to the Sports Authority of India centre in Saroornagar, Hyderabad, and train budding shuttlers.
Babu was on deputation with the Gopi Chand Academy for the last four years and had been training Saina and P Kashyap for about three months after they decided not to train with the former All England champion and chief national coach.
The players had requested SAI to allow Babu to travel with them for tournaments and train them at the Gopi Chand academy.
Babu was also scheduled to travel with the team for the three-leg tour, starting Monday, during which Saina will defend her Singapore and Indonesia Super Series crowns.
However, Saina and Gopi Chand set aside their differences after the team returned from the Sudirman Cup team championship in China last month and Babu was dropped from the contingent with Gopi joining the players for the tournaments.
Babu confirmed to HT that he has resumed work at the SAI centre from Monday but declined to say anything about his future with the national team.
"I am still waiting for more clarity. Till then, I have joined my base at Saroornagar," he said over phone from Hyderabad.