When Unnati Hooda served into the net at 44-44, after having dragged India from 30-36 down streaking forth with 14 points giving just 8, a hush of silence had fallen over the otherwise noisy arena hosting the Badminton Junior World Championships mixed team event. India had never won a mixed team medal at Junior World's, and were now trailing 0-1 set down, in the relay format. Kim Han Bi of Korea, had delayed receiving the serve just a tad, and an impatient Unnati had erred unfortunately to allow Korea a 45-44 set win. Unnati had done the heaviest lifting in the women's singles segment in the opening set (first team to 45 points over 5 matches), but that unfortunate service slumped into the net. Then Unnati bent over disappointed. The team had been preparing for a long time, and the error could have cost them dearly after all her hard work. But it's a team event for a reason. The reason Unnati had to pull off a blitzing rally of points was Korea were 9 points away from winning the opening set, and India needed 15. Unnati had a measure of Kim Han Bi, but that wretched serve (a mistake Unnati will never forget, when serving crucial points), meant India needed a decider. 27-27 after Rounak Chouhan played a high-voltage jump smashing game in Match 3 against Choi Ah Seung, India had faltered when mixed doubles' Lalramsanga and Aanya Bisht were pummelled 9-4 in the fourth match. In the second set, the Mizo boy Lalramsanga would make amends. India smartly subbed in Vishakha Toppo, a star-in-the-making in mixed doubles, aggressive and fearless with a combative spirit of her football hero Cristiano Ronaldo. She is a creative personality with craftwork and interest in books besides her fiery badminton. But her steely-cold efficiency came in handy, when she turned this quarterfinal around, as the duo won their bit 9-4 to take India's leading from 27-23 to 36-27 in the second. In the second set, Unnati came guns blazing, jets and torpedoes firing, as she slashed at Kim 9-3 to level the sets, winning the second 45-30. Riding the momentum - knowing they had turned the tables, India went about the decider calmly, with no nerves. More importantly, Lalramsanga once again stepped in for Viswa Gobburu, and proved why he is rated so high by coaches with his court zigzagging talent in doubles. Bhargav Arigela and Lalramsanga, the final of substitutions (three allowed) started 9-5 beating Cho-Lee. Vennala-Reshika who had gone 10-9, 9-3 in the first two sets, faced the heat dropping 7-13 as India trailed 16-18. But then the perennially explosive Rounak Chouhan (the mistakes are a by product of that backhand flicking and jump smashing attack) made it 27-22 winning 9-4. Aanya Bisht considerably more composed now, returned alongside Lalramsanga to make it 36-29 (9-7), and then Kim had too much to do needing 16 points, and an opponent who was in no mood to allow her a sniff. Unnati crushed Kim 9-4 as India won the decider 45-33. India’s doubles coach Ivan Sozonov of Russia said the changes were made because he felt Gobburu and Bisht were feeling the pressure of the occasion and they needed to change something to catch the Koreans off-guard. “I am very happy with the way Lalramsanga played and also how Rounak and Unnati handled the pressure,” he told BAI. Badminton Association of India secretary general Sanjay Mishra told BAI, “The players had been preparing at this very venue for the last few months and we were confident that we could win a medal if they played to their potential. I am very happy that everyone stood up when it mattered today and I am sure they have the ability to beat Indonesia and reach the final,” he added. The match score ended 2-1 (44-45, 45-30, 45-33). And a historic first-ever mixed team medal ensured, pointing to growth of the sport in all five categories, that is required to nail team events. India's biggest test (yet), comes against defending champions Indonesia in semis to make a charge at the finals. Indonesia beat Taiwan 2-0.
