Indian badminton's Thomas Cup heroics knock even cricket off front pages

Thomas Cup crown was splashed across front pages Monday with some people saying it can be a turning point for badminton much like the country's maiden cricket World Cup title in 1983. Coming in as underdogs against 14-time champions Indonesia, a ruthless India won the final of the men's team championship on Sunday in Bangkok to propel badminton to a rare place on centre stage in the cricket-crazy nation. World number 11 Kidambi Srikanth defeated higher-ranked Jonatan Christie to wrap up a 3-0 victory and trigger wild celebrations in the Indian camp as their players stormed the court with the national flag.

Read AlsoThomas Cup: 2022 can be Indian badminton's equivalent of cricket's 1983, says Vimal Kumar

Vimal Kumar has seen Indian badminton travel through valleys and peaks. From Pullela Gopichand winning the All England to Saina Nehwal becoming world No.1 and PV Sindhu being crowned world champion, Vimal has witnessed it from the vantage point of a player, coach and manager. But when India slammed

"Team India scales the peak," read the headline in The Indian Express. "Our Highness On Court," said the Hindustan Times. "I would rate this as the biggest ever achievement (for Indian badminton)," former international and team manager Vimal Kumar told reporters from the Thai capital. "When you call a nation a top badminton nation, all singles and doubles players perform. That is exactly what happened."

Read AlsoThomas Coup: Baddy boys shuttle to historic triumph

Of all the sporting triumphs, India's Thomas Cup victory should rank among its finest. For one, Indian men were stepping out of the shadow of the women, and while that is victory enough, the all-male huddle was hurriedly scripting a new chapter in Indian sport that has