Sunil Gavaskar: In 10-15 years, India may even be referred to as a sporting nation | Extra sports activities Information – Occasions of India

MUMBAI: At a time when Crew India is gearing up for the Asia Cup and the World Cup, the stupendous performances of India’s prime sportspersons in different disciplines have given the nation loads of causes to have fun.
Javelin celebrity thrower Neeraj Chopra, chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa and shuttler HS Prannoy have dominated the sports activities pages and introduced laurels to the nation in the previous couple of days, placing even a super-popular sport like cricket within the background for some time.
It’s a welcome change, which has left India’s cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar mighty happy. The opening nice feels that these scintillating performances by our sporting heroes may result in India being labelled as a “sporting nation” in “10-15 years’ time, similar to the US and Australia.”
“For those who see, with the publicity that Indian sportspersons are getting …If you consider America and Australia as sporting international locations, I really feel that in 10-15 years’ time, India may even be referred to as a sporting nation. They (India’s sportspersons past cricketers) have now bought a platform. Earlier, you’d see solely 2-Four sports activities could be talked about, the media protection would solely be for these 2-Four sports activities. Now, all of the sportspersons have gotten an outlet and publicity and due to that, we’re attending to see the (emergence of) our sporting stars. Praggu completed because the runners-up (within the Chess World Cup remaining). He’s simply 18, so he can win many titles sooner or later. Within the Badminton World Championships, Prannoy reached the semifinals. He defeated Viktor Axelsen, who’s the No 1 badminton participant on this planet,” Gavaskar stated on Monday after being introduced the principal advisor of the Midwicket Tales.

Raving about Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal-winning feat within the World Athletics Championships on Sunday evening in Budapest-India’s maiden gold within the prestigious event- Gavaskar stated: “I felt very, very comfortable. I bear in mind when he (Neeraj Chopra) had gained the gold within the Olympics, the India-England collection was occurring and this occurred in Tokyo – I used to be watching in England – and I used to be prompted to sing a (film) track ‘Mere desh ki dharti sona ugle…. Yesterday, I skilled the identical feeling,” he stated.

“We had seen Neeraj two years earlier when he gained the gold medal within the Olympics. Final yr he gained a silver medal, however for him it was vital to win the gold medal and with a protracted throw he gained it. It evokes different (athletes) too. You’ll have seen that on this World Athletics Championships, it was not simply Neeraj, our different two javelin throwers (DP Manu & Kishore Jena) had been additionally within the remaining. When one athlete does effectively, it offers encouragement to different Indians enjoying that sport and evokes the others to take up that sport as effectively,” Gavaskar stated.
Speaking about cricket, Gavaskar felt that Sri Lanka additionally deserved a point out in the case of rivalries concerning the Asia Cup, at the same time as all the main focus was on the Indo-Pakistan battle. “Within the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka can also be there, and has additionally been successful the Asia Cup. The rivalry between these three international locations is at all times one thing particular,” he stated.