Argue if You Want, We, India’s Athletes Need the South Asian Games

India’s flagbearer at the South Asian Games, Saurav Ghosal, points out the many reasons why the Games are important.

The author, Saurav Ghosal, was the flagbearer for India at the opening ceremony of the South Asian Games. (Photo: AP)

India has dominated the medals tally at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, but that isn’t really newsworthy, is it?

India has always been the sporting powerhouse in South Asia and therein lies the reason behind some people wanting India to pull out of future Games – because it is just too ‘easy’.

I understand the rationale but if one looks a bit deeper, it might present a slightly different picture.

India’s players lift coach Balwan Singh as they celebrate after winning the men’s Kabaddi final at the South Asian Games. (Photo: AP)

Athletes Need The Competition

For starters, not all sports are like Indian Cricket, with the team playing a match almost every other day. There are many sports which get a taste of competitive action once or twice a year. I can vouch for the fact that competitive matches are just as important for an athlete’s preparation as all the training one does in the background. No amount of practice games, runs or lifts can replicate a competition.

Match sharpness is very important at the top level and it is one of the main reasons I played the Games this year.

Gagan Narang (L) with gold medalist Chain Singh and silver medalist M Chowdhury at the award ceremony of the 10m Air Rifle Men’s Individual event. (Photo: PTI)

Olympic medallist Gagan Narang is a good example. I’m sure he’s been working really hard in preparation for the Rio Olympics later this year. However, he couldn’t produce his best scores in the individual event in Guwahati and had to settle for Bronze. I doubt he considers that a disaster, and nor should he. It gives him a good assessment of where he stands in his preparation and what he needs to work on in the next few months to be in the best possible shape in Rio. I’m sure this will hold him in good stead for when he really needs it.

For sports like squash that are not part of the Olympic Games, events like the SAF Games are an opportunity for the players to play for the flag, writes the author. (Photo: IANS)

A Rare Moment in the Spotlight

One must also remember that many sportspersons find their voice at these multi-sport events. Squash, for example, gets the most media coverage when we win medals at the Asian, Commonwealth or South Asian Games.

This is our ‘time in the sun’!

I had the honour of being the first squash player ever to be the Indian flag bearer in Guwahati, and that wouldn’t have happened if India wasn’t in it. Pulling out would deprive the so called ‘smaller’ sports the necessary exposure to grow. It would starve them of the recognition they rightfully deserve. When else does the average Indian viewer watch weight-lifting, swimming or shooting live on TV or read about these athletes in the papers?

Playing in his first senior international event, India’s 17-year-old Tejaswin Shankar matched Sri Lanka’s Asian Champion W P Manjula Kumara in each of his high jump efforts. He ultimately had to settle for Silver. (Photo: IANS)

Next-Gen’s Stepping Stone

Most importantly, I believe it is a great opportunity for the younger players to get a feel of playing for India.

It is the perfect stage to ‘blood’ the next generation of superstars early in their careers, so that they go to the Asians or Olympics with some experience. Being thrown into the deep end at bigger events, with so much riding on them, can make or break athletes’ careers.

The least we can do is to help them prepare the best they can and playing for India in the ‘smaller’ Games is a step in the right direction.

India’s women’s squash team members Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Karthik, Sunayna Kuruvilla hold the national flag after winning gold medal by defeating Pakistan. (Photo: PTI)

Take the squash team for example. Sixteen-year-old, Sunayna Kuruvilla, representing India at the senior level for the first time, won the gold in the women’s team event with a 3-2 win over her Pakistan opponent.

This will give her enormous confidence to push on as a player!

Nineteen-year-old Kush Kumar played one of the best matches of his life to win the deciding match against Pakistan and win the gold medal in the men’s event.

Can you imagine how good he must have felt about himself and what that could do to his career going forward? The experience of winning at the highest level is priceless and its effects cannot be discounted.

Saurav Ghosal in action against Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman in the semi final of the men’s squash event at the South Asian Games. (Photo: IANS)

Playing for India’s Pride

Finally, for many athletes it is a massive privilege to don the India T-shirt and play for the country. The sense of pride I feel when playing for India is unparalleled.

That is also the reason why I hold my gold medal in the team event at the Asian Games in 2014 as my single biggest achievement.

The South Asian Games give athletes another opportunity to come together and play as a team. This is required to foster team spirit which can take you very far. Just look at how Leicester City are tearing the Premier League apart!

So, to all the people who think the South Asian Games is a waste of time for India; please have the foresight to look beyond the medals tally. In the long run, it will help India go a lot further.

(The author is India’s top ranked men’s squash player and currently placed at number 20 in the world rankings. You can reach him on Twitter at @SauravGhosal.)

Also Read: Let’s Be Honest, The ‘South Asian Games’ Simply Don’t Matter