By the end of the year Sankar Muthusamy should break into World men’s top 100, says Aravindan

Aravindan Samiappan has been quietly going about his coaching job in Chennai at his Fireball Badminton Academy for nearly a decade. 

The 45-year-old has no big ambitions other than seeing his 40-odd wards–and now his favourite trainee, S. Sankar Muthusamy, who has reached the men’s u-19 World junior championships in Santander (Spain)–do well in the sport he so dearly loves. 

Sankar will take on Kuo Kuan Lin of Chinese Taipei in the final on October 30, 2022 at 6.30 pm IST.

A graduate in Printing Technology from College of Engineering (Guindy), Aravindan evinced keen interest early on in cricket–he has played in lower division matches of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association before finding his feet in badminton coaching.

“I was a state-level doubles badminton player, loved cricket and was always interested in the techniques of the sport and the biomechanics involved in it,” he says in an interview to The Hindu over phone from Santander (Spain).

When Sankar’s father Subramanian (48 years), who got Voluntary Retirement from Chennai Port Trust, asked Aravindan to train Sankar and his daughter, the coach was quick to agree.

As Sankar started to produce results at the State-level and National-level tournaments, Aravindan knew that he had a very good player in his fold, who could reach greater heights. 

“For seven years now, I have been doing personal coaching to Sankar. He is extremely smart and a very hardworking student,” said Aravindan, who is also the Secretary of Chennai District Badminton Association.

Elaborating on Sankar’s game, Aravindan said the 18-year-old always had a good defence and he was a natural at that. “He is an old fashioned player with a modern mindset. Being defensive is not a weakness. Everybody has to play to their strengths. And Sankar has improved on other aspects, too,” he said. 

While admitting that Sankar does not possess a good power in his smashes, Aravindan said he does counter-attack really well, while increasing the pace of the game and has the capacity to play a fast and flat game. 

According to the coach, the best part of his coaching methodology is that it is never constant as he discusses new strategies with players on a daily basis. “Ours is completely player-centric. If we need to change something we are open to it. That’s why Sankar’s game has evolved,” said Aravindan. 

At the stage of the career, Aravindan said Sankar by the end of the year should break into the World men’s top 100 – he is currently ranked 110 and then focus on moving further up.

Aravindan argued that Sankar had already made the transition from juniors to seniors. “When he was 15 years old, he beat higher ranked older players in the Senior All India ranking tournament in Vijayawada. That’s his capacity. Now in the Vietnam Open recently, he upset former (2014) World championships bronze medallist Tommy Sugiarto, now ranked 44 in the world. Sankar is on the right track,” he said.

Sankar’s performance in the World juniors, Aravindan believes will help in his spirited cause of producing several top-class players.