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Life and love get squashed together

Slipping from 38 to 71, where I find myself today, is very difficult to stomach. I do have a couple of years of competitive squash left in me.

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India’s top squash player talks about returning home, the support of his loved ones, and  how India can become a major power in squash, in a candid chat with  Joe Williams

India's Number One squash player Ritwik Bhattacharya is back in his hometown  Mumbai after five long years away.

He returns looking to make his comeback after a knee injury to his left leg halted his career. India’s flag bearer on the Professional Squash Association tour, he saw his ranking drop from 38 to 72 in one year, and he now looks to his family members and his girlfriend, model and actress Neha Dhupia, for support and inspiration along the road back to competing.

You have shifted your base back to India, and to Mumbai. Any specific reasons for the move?

Basically I have gained all that a squash player could gain from training abroad. And with my coach Neil Harvey moving out of England I thought I too should make the move.

I love my country, and with people who love me around the atmosphere should definitely help me to regain the old touch.

Do you mean your family, and more importantly perhaps, your girlfriend Neha Dhupia?

Yes. I have my family and Neha around, it should really help me. The injury has been a bad patch in my career.

Slipping from 38 to 71, where I find myself today, is very difficult to stomach. I do have a couple of years of competitive squash left in me and I want to make the most of them. I will do my best to come back into the top 20.

Dhupia has said in the past that you were her friend, philosopher and guide. Are you now looking to her for all that back?

Yes, I am. We have known each other for a while [ten years]. She is very simple and down to earth. And what is more important is the fact she is innocent, which is very difficult to find in her profession.

Her presence when I play big tournaments, and even during practice, should do wonders for me, as will that of all my family members.

Do you feel that the age factor counts strongly in your sport?

When it comes to tennis I think it does: by the late 20s it is time to say good bye. But not in squash. Look at the top ten players around the globe. They are between the ages of 28 and 32, which means I still have four years of active squash left in me.

So age is not a concern at all right now.

Who has been your mentor? Has Jansher Khan filled this role for you?

He is legend and a great player. Watching him play gives one inspiration. He will always remain special.

What should be done to boost the game in our country?

There is abundance of talent in our country. Many youngsters are showing talent and developing their game. There is no dearth of squash talent in the country, and what has emerged has been improving fast as well.

But, ironically, the game is entirely centred around Chennai. As a result, the powers that be in the Squash Racket Federation of India feel that Chennai is India.

If the game is spread all over our country, then there will be many Indians among the top ranked players in the world. Instead of concentrating just in Chennai, both the coaches and glass courts should appear in at least five or six centres throughout the country.

Most important of all, coaches should be to catering to the youngsters.

You have just been interacting with some of the youngsters. You promised them many things. Can you elaborate for us?

I have been one of the fortunate ones to have been able to train abroad. I have learnt many things in this game and it is the duty of any player in the country to give as much as they can back the game which has given them status in society.

I am open to all the youngsters and I have told them that they can call me anytime to be their sparring partner, just in the way Uday Kumar worked with me a decade ago.

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