You cannot compare Saina and Sindhu: Vimal Kumar

How is Saina Nehwal post her knee surgery in August?

She is fine, though not to her full fitness. It will definitely take a little more time. The few tournaments she is playing will give her a lot of confidence. She also knows that she has not lost out much. It is only a question of getting a little more of endurance and strength back. She should be again playing right at the top. She has got more time, now that she has not made it to the year-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals (Dec 14-18). Maybe her next event can be the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow (Jan 24-29, 2017). There is not substitute for match play. These matches are a real test for her knee.

Saina recently said that she may be nearing the end of her playing career. Did she really mean it?

When you go through these sorts of crisis (injuries), those things that bring you down are your own talks. These apprehensions come to every athlete. When they go through surgery, these things cross their minds. I will give a lot of credit to her. A lot of people can talk, give her solace and comfort. But it is the individual's mindset, how much one wants it. I am happy that she is strong mentally. She wants to come back, give it her all. That is a very positive sign. At the end of a career, you should not have regrets. One should have the satisfaction that he gave it his all. This is what I learnt from Prakash Padukone and this is what I tell her. At the elite level, that should be your goal. See Lee Chong Wei, one of the best badminton players. He has entered three Olympic finals but could not win even one. Morten Frost Hansen could not win World Championships. But you get the satisfaction that you gave it all. That should be the motto.

Will Saina's training be any different now?

She needs to be a little more lean, shed a couple of kilograms. Then, she can move a little more faster and play a lot better.

How much of the frequent injuries will work on her mind?

There is no clear cut solution to avoiding injuries. That way, Saina is not scared of injuries. The support system is quite good. The physios and trainer are quite good. The strength and endurance will take a little more time. To play at the highest level again is not easy. I would give a lot of credit to her mental strength.

What has Sindhu's Olympic silver done to Indian badminton?

Sindhu's silver has given a big boost for Indian badminton. When Sindhu won the silver, the entire country was glued to television. That change the profile of the sport. No competition can give that kind of a lift. Her silver has made a big difference to Indian badminton. When you talk about swimming, athletics, tennis, football, many of the other disciplines barring hockey, there is a huge gap between Indian and international levels. But in badminton, we have bridged that gap. Maybe in paired events, we still need to improve. In singles, we have good youngsters coming up. For the next 10-15 years, India will have a good pack of singles players, especially in men's singles. In women's singles, we still need a little more refinement in strength and skill aspects. After Saina and Sindhu, there is a gap. Ruthvika Shivani could be tricky but she still has some way to go. In men, we have 10-15 players of that level already playing and it is a question of just making it, opportunities they are getting, unlike in the past, there are a lot of international exposure. A lot of credit goes to government. A sum of Rs 2.5 lakh per day is invested in badminton. Then you get this sort of results. That is making a big difference.

People rate Sindhu higher than Saina. Your take?

You cannot compare them. Some people mature late. I can see a lot more consistency in the performances. It will happen. It is a question of finding the right balance. In India, they make you a superstar, how you handle it also matters. I don't see any problem with playing, training, substance, etc. More than that, it is finding the right balance, your conduct off the court is the key.

Do you feel pressure working with an elite athlete?

When you are working with any athlete, the pressures are there. I always tell her that it is nothing compared with what the cricketers go through. Badminton is still a low-profile sport.

Where does Saina go from here?

She has a lot of things to look forward. She can look at doing well in World Championships, may be an Asian Games gold medal. There are a lot of things coming up. Nothing is lost. She also understands that. I can still see the hunger in her.

Saina Nehwal, who returned to action two weeks ago at China Open Superseries Premier after a knee surgery, is not afraid of injuries, says her coach U Vimal Kumar —Getty Images

SAINA NEHWAL IN 2016

Quarterfinal, Macau Open (in progress)
Quarterfinal, Hong Kong Open Superseries, Nov 22-27
1st round, China Open Superseries Premier, Nov 15-20
Group stage, Rio Olympics, Aug 11-20
Winner, Australian Open Superseries, June 7-12
Quarterfinal, Indonesia Open Superseries Premier, May 30-Jun 5
Elimination round, Thomas & Uber Cup Finals, May 15-22
Semifinals, Badminton Asia Championships, Apr 26-May 1
Semifinals, Malaysia Open Superseries Premier, Apr 5-10
Semifinals, india Open Superseries, Mar 29-Apr 3
Semifinals, Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, Mar 15-20
Quarterfinals, All England, Mar 8-13