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HS Prannoy making rapid strides at 20

He is only 20 but is already a threat to the likes of Parupalli Kashyap and Ajay Jayaram.

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He is only 20 but is already a threat to the likes of Parupalli Kashyap and Ajay Jayaram.

HS Prannoy may be ranked 76th in the world but he is making the right moves under the guidance of Pullela Gopichand. 

Prannoy turned giant-killer when he beat World No. 1 Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia 26-24 21-9 to enter the quarterfinals of the India Open here. “It was a dream come true, for he has been my childhood hero,” Prannoy told dna.

RMV Gurusaidutt, Prannoy’s batchmate at the Gopichand Badminton Academy, said, “Knowing Prannoy, he will not sleep tonight. His idol is Hidayat. This win is good for Indian sport.” Prannoy said he owed his career to Gopichand. “Gopi bhaiya has been a great motivation and it is because of him that I’m playing at this level.”

An injury kept him out of action last year but he has come back well, shocking Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana in three games last month in the second round of Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold.

He admitted he was still a work in progress. “I was known as the best attacker in the country some time ago. But I realised that to play at this level, you need to be an all-rounder, just attacking wouldn’t enough. The one who keeps the shuttle more on the court wins. I’ve changed my game in the last one year and adopted a defensive style as well,” said Prannoy, who is employed with ONGC.

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