CWG 2022: Indian athletes set for Birmingham bash

Without Neeraj and shooters, onus to swell India's medals tally is on boxing contingent, wrestlers, weightlifters and hockey teamsUnited Kingdom has cooled down from the mind-boggling 40 degrees a week ago with a consistent spell of rain getting the reading down to 20 degrees. It comes as good news for the international athletes vying for glory at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, beginning on Thursday. The increase in thermal reading might have actually benefited the Indians: now it is seemingly back to square one.

Not a big setback, however, when compared to javelin champion Neeraj Chopra's unavailability due to injury or shooting not being in the CWG programme this time. They will affect India's position in the overall standings. Neeraj was also slated to be the country's flagbearer in the opening ceremony. Now double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will do the honours. In 2018, India had secured their second-best haul at the CWG with 26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze. They were third behind Australia and England in the standings. Canada finished fourth, while New Zealand and South Africa were fifth and sixth. Out of India's 66 medals, the shooters had bagged 16 with seven of them gold. Even in the 2014 Glasgow Games, the shooters won 17 medals out of a total of 64. India will miss this cushion in Birmingham. The tally that the country had touched in 2018 now looks distant.

India's history at the Commonwealth Games

Hence, a top-5 finish is what the 215-member Indian contingent should aim for, something the country has achieved since the 2002 Manchester Games. Even this is not a given for India with nations like New Zealand, South Africa and Wales rising up the ranks. "Neeraj's absence will make a huge impact on the