IBL best thing for Indian Badminton: Prakash Padukone

BADMINTON: India’s legendary shuttler, Prakash Padukone, feels that the Indian Badminton League (IBL) will certainly help the Indian badminton grow.

In an Interview with the Times of India, the former world #1 said that IBL is a welcome development and that there’s nothing wrong with the format of the tournament.

"IBL is definitely the best thing to have happened for Indian badminton, if administered properly. It will certainly add to the popularity of the sport besides bringing in more money for the players. A lot would, however, depend on the success or otherwise of the inaugural event. Badminton has not seen this kind of money before," Prakash said.

"There is nothing wrong with the team format and the duration of IBL, though the events to be conducted could have been debated.

"There is bound to be disappointment as this is the inaugural year. Players are still not fully aware of the rules. Organizers on their part should also take the help of people who have organized similar events and make the League more transparent. There have been quite a few glitches from both sides but I hope it will be sorted out in future editions. 

"Big money is good for the sport and the players but unlike in cricket, players here will still have to perform well in international tournaments to command a good base price. In that sense it is slightly different from cricket at least for the time being."

Prakash, who triumphed at the All-England Championships in 1980, also talked about India’s chance at the World Championships 2013, which got underway today.

"It won’t be easy for our players in the World Championships. This is one event where all the top players try to be in their best form. Further, all of them play in this event unlike some of the other tournaments, that a few shuttlers give a miss citing various reasons. Our best bet will be Saina Nehwal for the women’s singles title. That would, of course, depend on her current form," he further mentioned.