Saina Nehwal Explains Why India Still Struggles To Create Sporting Champions
Saina Nehwal Explains Why India Still Struggles To Create Sporting Champions Published By, Last Updated: July 24, 2026, 17:37 IST Nehwal believes India must back
Saina Nehwal Explains Why India Still Struggles To Create Sporting Champions Published By, Last Updated: July 24, 2026, 17:37 IST Nehwal believes India must back athletes before they become champions, saying better marketing, leagues and support systems are key to closing the gap with cricket. Rapid Read Saina Nehwal (PTI Photo) There are champions, and then there is Saina Nehwal. From becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic badminton medal to reaching the top of the world rankings, the former world No. 1 inspired an entire generation and helped propel India into a global badminton powerhouse. But for all the medals and milestones, Nehwal hasn’t forgotten what it took to get there — and the obstacles that come up for a lone rising star in this country, in a sport that isn’t cricket. Speaking at News18’s Rising Bharat India Summit (South Edition), the badminton icon reflected on why Indian sport still struggles to consistently produce world-class athletes outside cricket.
‘Cricket Has The System’ For Nehwal, the biggest difference lies in structure, visibility and investment. “Getting more tournaments in. Cricket is so popular here because they have a very good system and extremely well-executed leagues. They are also consistently showing them on TV," she said. She believes other sports suffer because they simply don’t receive the same exposure. “There may be other tournaments across different sports going on, but only hardcore fans will watch them. That’s why I think the sports associations and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) should market the sports much better and increase the publicity so they can rise to the levels of cricket." Support shouldn’t come only after success Nehwal also pointed to another glaring difference — the level of support available to young athletes. Using teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an example, she highlighted how cricket’s ecosystem provides promising players with world-class resources early in their careers.
“Take Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for example. See the level of backing and resources he’s receiving for his career already. I think that’s something that we, across other sports, are lacking in some way." “When I was coming up, I had no physios or trainers or anyone else. I only got my first physio when I was 19, and that’s when I realised the need for a proper team to help you compete — from dieticians to physicians to mental trainers." For Nehwal, the solution is straightforward. “Basically, everything that a sportsperson receives comes only after they achieve a level of success by themselves first. I think that’s something that has to change." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Siddarth Sriram After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas.
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