Trying to get to my best: Kashyap

P. Kashyap.

P. Kashyap is cautiously optimistic of making a quick return to top-flight badminton in order qualify for the Rio Olympics. India’s highest BWF rankers K. Srikanth (No.9) and Kashyap (No.15), are comfortably placed to make the cut for Rio, but the final list of qualifiers will be out only in May.

While the PBL will determine his fitness levels, Kashyap is targeting the Grand Prix Gold Syed Modi international badminton championships (Jan. 26 to 31), the Asian team championship next month in Hyderabad, and a number of tournaments in March to raise his performance levels and find form.

“I had a calf muscle tear in my left leg during the French open. I have recovered from the injury. Once you get back to training you have other issues also; little niggles and pains here and there. I am trying to get to my best. I am not looking too far ahead; just to get fitter and find form.”

Kashyap has entered the Malaysian Open to be held in Penang from Jan. 19 to 24. “I have to make a call on whether I will play the Malaysian Open. There is the Thailand Grand Prix Gold in February. There are seven tournaments I plan to play, but all that will be decided after the PBL. I will have to consult the physio and the coach to know my condition.

“The injury was a big setback. I had a clear-cut chance to qualify for the Dubai Super Series finals, which I was aiming for the whole year. If I had just participated in the Hong Kong and China Open,I could have made it to Dubai, because my points were better than the others’. I did not think it was ethical to go in a wheelchair and concede walk over in the Hong Kong and China Open. I would not have been fit for Dubai anyway.”

He also elaborated on the Olympics qualification process. “If there are more than two players in the top 16, then the top two will qualify. There is nothing like a ‘Race to Rio’ thing. It’s the world ranking on May 3 that will matter. But the way we are playing now (Srikanth, Kashyap and H.S. Prannoy) all three may be in the top 16, but only the first two will qualify.”