‘Everything Comes After Success’: Saina Nehwal reveals why India still struggles to produce world-class sporting champions

Saina Nehwal, one of India’s most celebrated badminton stars, believes the country needs a complete overhaul in the way it nurtures athletes if it wants to consistently produce world-class sporting champions outside cricket.

Speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat India Summit (South Edition), the former World No. 1 and Olympic bronze medallist highlighted the stark difference between cricket’s well-established ecosystem and the challenges faced by athletes in other sports.

According to Nehwal, India’s sporting talent is not lacking. Instead, the country needs stronger infrastructure, better publicity and long-term support systems that help athletes before they become champions.

‘Cricket has built the right ecosystem’

Explaining why cricket continues to dominate India’s sporting landscape, Saina Nehwal praised the game’s professional structure and consistent visibility.

She pointed out that regular tournaments, successful domestic leagues and extensive television coverage have helped cricket build a massive fan base over the years.

“Getting more tournaments in. Cricket is so popular here because they have a very good system and extremely well-executed leagues. They are also consistently showing them on TV,” she said.

According to Nehwal, many other sports host quality competitions, but they rarely receive the same level of attention from broadcasters or fans.

Visibility remains a major challenge

The badminton icon believes one of the biggest hurdles for non-cricket sports is the lack of promotion and public awareness.

She urged sports federations and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to invest more in marketing and publicity so that emerging sports can attract wider audiences.

“There may be other tournaments across different sports going on, but only hardcore fans will watch them. That’s why I think the sports associations and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) should market the sports much better and increase the publicity so they can rise to the levels of cricket,” she explained.

Greater visibility, she said, would not only boost fan engagement but also encourage more youngsters to pursue professional careers in different sporting disciplines.

Saina cites Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an example

Drawing a comparison with cricket, Saina Nehwal referred to teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying promising cricketers receive world-class backing from an early age.

She noted that young cricket players often have access to advanced coaching, fitness experts and professional guidance well before reaching the international stage.

“Take Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for example. See the level of backing and resources he’s receiving for his career already. I think that’s something that we, across other sports, are lacking in some way,” she said.

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‘I had no physio until I was 19’

Reflecting on her own journey, the former badminton champion revealed that she lacked even the most basic support staff during her formative years.

She recalled receiving her first physiotherapist only at the age of 19, despite already competing at a high level.

“When I was coming up, I had no physios or trainers or anyone else. I only got my first physio when I was 19, and that’s when I realised the need for a proper team to help you compete — from dieticians to physicians to mental trainers,” Nehwal shared.

Her experience, she believes, reflects the larger reality faced by many talented athletes across India.

Invest before athletes become champions

Saina Nehwal stressed that India’s sports ecosystem often rewards athletes only after they have already achieved international success.

Instead, she argued that investment should begin much earlier by providing promising youngsters with access to quality coaching, sports science, nutrition experts, physiotherapists and mental conditioning professionals.

“Basically, everything that a sportsperson receives comes only after they achieve a level of success by themselves first. I think that’s something that has to change,” she said.

As India continues to chase greater success across multiple Olympic disciplines, Nehwal believes building stronger grassroots systems and offering consistent support to young athletes could be the key to producing more world-class champions in the years ahead.