'India Winning the Thomas Cup is like winning the football World Cup,' claims Badminton icon Pullela Gopichand
India badminton legend, Pullela Gopichand has opened up on the Indian men's team winning the Thomas Cup for the first time in the country's history, claiming that this win is like "winning the football World Cup".
The Indian shuttlers created history in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday, May 15 when they beat Indonesia to win their maiden Thomas Cup. The Indian men's team thrashed 14-time winners, Indonesia 3-0, in what was a major surprise.
Gopichand for his part claimed that no one would have given India a chance in the past but the men's team has proved their critics wrong, considering that they are not considered among the powerhouses in badminton.
#ThomasCup2022 | Pullela Gopichand, Chief Coach, Indian Team speaks exclusively with CNN News18 as Team India lifts the Thomas Cup trophy for the first time.
— News18 (@CNNnews18) May 15, 2022
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"We didn't do great together as a unit in the past, but today that has changed. Winning Thomas Cup is like winning World Cup of football," he told CNN-IBN, as quoted by WION.
Indonesia went into the final as the clear favourites to win their 15th such titles, but Kidambi Srikanth and co showed that India cannot be underestimated when it comes to the sport. Following the win, the Indian sports ministry announced a cash prize of Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million) for the side and hailed them for creating history.