Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes young shuttler Lakshya Sen has all the requisite qualities of a champion but needs to look into mental training after missing out of an Olympic medal at Paris Games. (Medal Table | Schedule & Results | Full Coverage)
The 22-year-old Sen suffered two heart-breaking losses in the semifinals and bronze medal playoff despite being in advantageous position in both the matches as a medal slipped out of his hands at the Olympics.
"I was a bit disappointed because both times (in the semifinal and bronze medal match), Lakshya had taken the lead and then wasn't able to sustain it. Whether it is more of a mental issue because that is what needs to be really looked at," he said on the sidelines of the launch of Spartan Racing.
"Even Prakash (Padukone) made the point that he doesn't know why he lost. Sometimes it could be that you've just lost. It happens to all of us in our everyday lives.
"Maybe that is something that he needs to look at. I also read somewhere that Prakash says that he maybe should look at mind training, which is something that maybe he has to look at. I don't know how it works in badminton," he added.
Sen had squandered three game points in the opening game and a 7-0 lead in the second in the semifinal against Denmark's Viktor Axelsen, while wasting an opening game advantage and a 8-3 cushion in the second to go down against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the play-off.
Disappointed by the loss, his mentor Padukone said it's high time that players learn to withstand pressure, take responsibility, and deliver results after receiving significant support from the government.
Gavaskar said: "It's just because with all the shots that he has, with everything that he has, the game that he has and the start that he has, we all were hoping for him to get a medal.
"But as Victor Axelsen, the winner, says that he's a serious gold medal contender for 2028 so now he's got to look at the next three years and see how he can get there.”
