Jwala,Shruti positive despite split

Despite the splitting up of Indian badmintons eminently successful doubles pair Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien the future doesnt necessarily.....

Despite the splitting up of Indian badmintons eminently successful doubles pair Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien the future doesnt necessarily throw up a picture of gloom for the countrys doubles aspirations. The next Uber Cup might not seem so hopeless if India can field the parting girls with their new and keener-to-learn partners. If Aparna Balan can fill in for Jwala at the net while Shruti continues to cover the whole back-court with continuing diligence,and if Ashwini Ponappa,a well-rounded singles player,can do the running-smashing duties while Jwala scorches from the net,India might well have its first and second doubles team in time for the 2010 championships.

It will take time for the new combination to start becoming effective,but at least India will have two pairings, Shruti says,choosing to look ahead. The 26-year-old was keen on not picking someone far too junior,or break any steady,existing pairings. There are very few girls who commit to doubles,so I didnt want to spoil that. But Im looking forward to working with Aparna, she said. After a small break in Bangalore with shuttler-husband Nikhil Kanetkar,Shruti will be undergoing a training stint at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad.

For Jwala,whose mixed doubles career is surging ahead with great success,her partnership with Ashwini Ponappa will be about chipping in for womens doubles in India. Im doing well with Diju,and I thought I should focus all energies on improving my effort for mixed doubles. I wasnt learning in doubles,so I decided to split. No regrets. Now Ill do something for womens doubles in India, she said.

For both the feuding women,their happiest memories of the partnership was the early success the beginning of their rise in their teens,when they picked their first seniors national crown while still juniors in 2000. Ironically,the split came within months of their biggest international success the European circuit of 2008 where they won a title and made a string of finals.

Disappointing

The elderly SM Arif,who returned from his retirement in part due to coach this pairing which had shown promise,says the signs were for all to see even during that successful Europe swing of events. A lot of effort was going into keeping them together. Its disappointing,but its best that they part ways, he says.

Having brought them together as 9-10 year-olds and convincing them to opt for doubles,Arif reckons this was one childhood friendship that could not deal with the ego complications. When the rifts get wider and even small things start annoying its best to move away. When I travelled with them to Europe Id banned all blame-talk,and insisted that only encouraging words were exchanged on court. But it was forced, he says.

At present,it seems like a big loss. But if theyve each played so well under duress,Im hoping that with a fresh and free mind itll work out for both. It could turn out alright for India in the end, Arif said.