Coach Vimal Kumar said there is no need for ace shuttler Saina Nehwal to stay away from playing Premier Badminton League (PBL) as the badminton league is not a "strenuous affair" like international tournaments
Vimal Kumar
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Bangalore: Coach Vimal Kumar yesterday said there is no need for ace shuttler Saina Nehwal to stay away from playing Premier Badminton League (PBL) as the badminton league is not a "strenuous affair" like international tournaments.
"There is no need for Saina to stay away from playing PBL. It adds to her career profile.
Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal. Pic/PTI
"The league will not be a strenuous affair because it is not as competitive as international tournaments," said Kumar, when asked whether it would be prudent to rest Saina as she has just recovered from an injury.
Saina endured a difficult season this year as she recovered from a foot injury to win the Australian Open but suffered a major knee injury around the Rio Olympics to bow out of the event in the second round.
Kumar said the PBL is not played for two months as the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"PBL is not like IPL or any other cricket league, which goes on for two months. It goes on for two weeks, which gets a lot of attention," he said.
Moreover, PBL will not affect the training session of Saina because there are as many as 16 international events, which will keep her fit, Kumar said. "PBL will in no way affect the training programme of the Indian women's singles star because there are at 15 to 16 international tournaments," he said.
Saina will get adequate time to prepare for big events after PBL, and hence it should not bother her, Kumar said. "She will be playing wherever the matches are going to be held, but still will have time of about five to six weeks to prepare, before participating in big events coming up in March," he said.
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