Commonwealth Games gold for India in the bustling host city of Birmingham, England come August. Nah… we will just stick our necks out and say she will be on top of the podium, flashing that ear-to-ear smile soon. Cue: Next Amul ad. No doubt, she will have a lot of ‘home’ support too. A stroll down New Street leading up to the much-photographed shiny bronze bull and you will come across a motley crew of Indians and friends from the subcontinent, most of them conversing in a monotone Brummie accent but unable to hide the fact they are yearning for that visit ‘back home’. Indian shopkeepers have their bundle of tales, to make that connect, just a means to the end of selling their wares. A month from now, they will probably have another story of how shuttle queen Sindhu charmed them all. Having clinched the Singapore Open last Sunday, in a three-game encounter against China’s Asian champion Wang Zhi Yi, the leader on the World Tour will be beaming with confidence. First, of course, comes the team test as India look to retain the gold they earned at Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018. Sindhu, 23 then, did not participate in that event but don’t we all remember the highly-charged Saina-vs-Sindhu final where personal pride was also at stake? As the shuttle flew wide, Sindhu, in red, was left feeling the blues as Nehwal, in traditional Indian colour, pumped her fists in an overwhelming display of emotions.
