Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under R.N.I 53640/91
Vol. XXXIV No. 3, May 16-31, 2024
Saurav Ghosal calls time on his professional career
-- by S.R. Suryanarayan
All good things must come to an end! Finally, it has for Indian squash. The leading light of the sport in India, Saurav Ghosal has decided to call time on his professional career. At age 37 years it must have made him realise that the rigors of professional squash are not anymore easy to handle. Indeed, these have been the thoughts that must have crossed his mind eversince the last Asian Games held in Hangzhou.
Ghosal had long discussions with the Federation and to that extent he had given a hint that it would not be long before he bows out from the competitive arena, at least the professional circuit. As the former national coach and currently the Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India, Cyrus Poncha put it, “Saurav had worries about injuries. He is the type who believes in being fully fit for the occasion and entering the court to make an impression. That is why he had made a mark in the professional circuit, even being in the top 10 at one time. Not for him the idea of playing and sliding down the ranking list. He has always been that kind of a player, a fighter and great performer,” said Poncha of his one time pupil.
Saurav Ghosal. Picture courtesy: The Hindu.
How time flies! It seemed just the other day that Saurav, as a 15-year old had shifted base from Kolkata to Chennai to build on his squash career at the Indian Squash Academy. It was a little past the turn of the millennium and the launch of the Squash Academy, a brainchild of the then Secretary General of SRFI, Mr. N. Ramachandran had come with a view to giving squash a boost in India. Saurav, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik were among the early trainees of this much publicised Academy. Famed coach Maj S. Maniam from Malaysia with an able assistant in Poncha were given the responsibility of writing a new chapter for Indian squash. For sure, things began to happen and the reason was this trio and Saurav in particular. A bundle of energy and ever keen to be on the court, Saurav caught the eye and proved a delight for the Coaches. The young talent did not take long to sprout into a formidable player and the results began to come in.
From winning the prestigious British junior Open U-19 to the Asian championship title much later, Saurav proved his mettle stage by stage. He had the distinction of winning the country’s first individual medal, a bronze, in the Commonwealth Games. This came in 2022. Reaching the quarterfinal in the World championship is another first for an Indian. Perhaps the most celebrated effort of his came in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon when he guided the Indian team to a gold medal finish, an unprecedented achievement that saw such flow of emotions. Later India and Saurav were to repeat that in the 2022 Asiad in Hangzhou, China. Another distinction was winning the World mixed doubles title in partnership with Dipika in Glasgow in 2022.
Add to all this were his 13 national championship titles and the true worth of Saurav can be judged. Interestingly all his national championship titles had come in his career as a player representing Tamil Nadu. Indeed, Chennai has been something special for this squash icon. Aside from his playing career, his personal life too! For, his wife Diya, incidentally Dipika’s sister, is Chennai-based.
Coming out of the professional circuit does not put a full stop to his playing career. Saurav has expressed his desire to take part in the World team championship later this year in Hong Kong. Yes, the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games still remain attractive and since he and Dipika have a formidable record in doubles, the attraction is even more.
The ace player is keen but as he realistically saw it, everything depended on how ready he would be for all that. Then again he does not also want to lose sight of the 2028 Olympics to be hosted by USA where squash is to make its debut! Saurav would be 41 then! Only time will tell if this stubborn player with great competitive spirit can still retain fitness and the magic he had been famous for. For now, as Poncha would admit, this great player’s absence will truly be felt but on the positive side, his achievements will remain an inspiration for the next generation players.
