Cricket is not the only big sport now in India, says badminton star Srikanth

World number three Kidambi Srikanth of India sets his sights on big titles next year

Kidambi Srikanth may not have set the stage on fire at the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals, but India's top shuttler would look back at the year with a smile on his face.
After all, not many players can claim to have won four Superseries titles in a calendar year. The 24-year-old Srikanth became only the fourth player in history to achieve that feat in 2017.
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Srikanth, the world number three, revealed what it felt like beating Lin Dan, the player he grew up idolising, and why becoming world number one is not his top priority.
Q. When did your badminton journey start? 
It all started in 2001. My brother started playing first at a stadium in our hometown Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. So I used to go to the stadium where my brother used to play. I used to go there just for the fun, but I started liking the sport. 
Also, Gopi Sir (Pullela Gopichand) won the All England Championships in 2001. After winning that tournament, he came to our home town and there was a big felicitation ceremony for him. That made a big impact on me. And then slowly I started following the big stars. Lin Dan became my hero. I am still in love with his style and attitude. 
Q. So beating Lin Dan, arguably the greatest  player in history, at the 2014 China Open final must be the biggest moment in your career...    
Yes, that was big. I beat Lin Dan and people started talking about me. Since then I have improved as a player and the last eight months have been amazing. It really has been the best phase of my career. 
Q. You have won four Superseries titles in 2017. So what has changed now?
I think it's more about the mental aspect of the game. I started to believe that I can play at the highest level for a long time. I think that really helped me change my strategy. The way I approach the game is different now. 
Q. You are world number three now. Is the number one ranking your next goal?
I have told this in one of my interviews in India that I don't really think too much about the rankings and that I really want to do well in tournaments. 
Q. But ranking points matter a lot. If you go into a big tournament as a top-four player, it helps you avoid stars like Lin Dan in early rounds. The Chinese legend beat you at the 2016 Rio Olympics quarterfinals. 
Rankings are important just to get the easy early rounds. But if I have to win a tournament I should be ready to face anyone and beat anyone. So it's really important to do well against every player.
Q. There will be some very big tournaments next year...
Yes, next year is definitely a big year. The Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and the World Championships are coming up. I have been doing really well, so I want to continue this momentum. 
Q. Now other sports are getting attention in India. This is a very positive change in cricket-obsessed India...
Yes, cricket is not the only big sport now in India. I think the mindset has changed. People now want to watch various sports and that's one of the reasons why I think a sport like badminton has got such a great platform. As athletes we always work hard and we always want to win. Yes, three-four years back we haven't seen such great results, but now athletes from other sports have done really well. And that has made a big impact on people.
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com