There is no pressure on us. We are the underdogs. Believe in all the training you have undergone. Just give 100 per cent and the results will fall in place. This was the message from men’s singles coach Mohd. Siyadutallah as India scripted a historic 3-0 win over Indonesia in the Thomas Cup final in Bangkok on Sunday.
“Beating Malaysia in the quarterfinal was the turning point of the championship. Once we beat them, we had an eye on the championship because it was a very strong team,” the 48-year-old coach said.
“I have never seen such camaraderie before with any Indian team”
For close to a decade, he has been the silent No. 2 in the support staff of the Indian badminton teams. On Sunday, as Siyadutallah gave tips to star shuttler K. Srikanth in the third match, it was another reminder of his quiet contribution to the sport.
“From day one, the mood has been upbeat. Phadeyengey (will tear apart the opposition). I have never seen such camaraderie before with any Indian team,” Siyadutt told The Hindu from Bangkok.
Team spirit
“The players showed great team spirit. And it was possible because of so many things like regular team meetings, dress code, going together for dinner and breakfast. Even when there were some negative vibes when we didn’t try a particular doubles combination, captain Srikanth suggested that I convene a meeting and ensure that the team spirit remains high and that no one member should be low for want of anything,” he said.
“The confidence level was always high. The doubles combination of Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty is the strong point now. Their consistency is now giving us the cushion in case of any early upset. Or else, there was always great pressure on the likes of Lakshya Sen, Srikanth and Prannoy,” Siyadutallah said.
The delighted coach was not surprised by Prannoy’s stunning display because of the way he trained and has been playing in the recent past.
“I must say it is a complete team performance. It is a perfect 10, as they say in gymnastics,” he said.
“This is the biggest moment for me personally, for the Indian team and also for badminton itself,” added a jubilant Siyadutallah.
