While at home,Talwinderjit looks to do as Indians do

When Talwinderjit Singh left Indian shores three years ago,he went by the nickname Pipli. A stint with USA Division II team San Jose City...

When Talwinderjit Singh left Indian shores three years ago,he went by the nickname Pipli. A stint with USA Division II team San Jose City a few rungs below NBA and playing for another US-based side,Babbar Sher California BSC,and the playmaker from Ludhiana has picked a thick accent,some solid bulk and monikers like TJ Sahi. He even fancies being called Air India a name he says was fashioned upon him by the spectators in the west coast state,for his habitual acrobatic diving and sliding ways on the court.

Now 23,and back in India to tend to his ailing mother who suffered a second heart-attack recently,Pipli says basketball wasnt exactly on his mind when he returned. But back in the Punjab squad for the senior nationals in Surat,he knows his team will rely heavily on him if they have to push past Uttarakhand in the quarter-finals on Monday.

After my fathers passed away and my elder brother moved to the US,I couldnt stay on in the States leaving my mother in Ludhiana,considering her health condition. I wasnt thinking of basketball when I came back,but since I wasnt doing anything,and the nationals were around,I decided to play.

Picked by NCAA scouts when he played for India at the Asian Basketball Championships in 2005 as a point guard of promise,Pipli was picked by Canadian and American scouts and granted a full scholarship in California. But on touching down there,he was informed that the scholarship was down to 50 per cent and that the university would turn out to be rather expensive,so he shifted allegiance to the two clubs San Jose City and BSC. Hes the only Indian showcasing his flashy skills at that level,and maintains that NBA is the ultimate dream. I dont know if Ill ever reach there. But every player aspires for that,and Ill try hard to get there, he says.

Complete transformation

Sure to catch the eye with his energetic hustle on the court,Pipli seemed like an India certainty before his move to the US. But playing in America has changed the Punjab players game considerably. Besides him acquiring some muscle,his playing zone has undergone a complete transformation.

Its not a very physical game here in India. But there,rules allow for even holding onto the jersey in defence. Here,Ive gone out on five-fouls in all my games, he says. That has hurt defending champions Punjab as theyve also run into miserable luck in the outside shooting department. Weve not clicked. The three-point shooting has gone awry too, Pipli concedes.

The far more aggressive style of play in America means Pipli now finds his own outside game restricted. Over there outside shots arent a big hit because the percentage of success would be around 30,while if you play inside,the chances of winning points increases to 70-80 per cent. Its something Ive had to re-adjust to, he admits.

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Accustomed to courts dried up every few minutes,and a bigger Size 9 ball,Pipli has also slipped here frequently,though he maintains that he will take these on as challenges,not as moans. The ambition now is to come back into the Indian squad. Im back here,and Ill do my best to entertain, he says.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More