“Where are the new white balls, coach?,” Abhay Singh screams to Chris Walker, the Indian squash team’s foreign coach, before his practice sessions with Saurav Ghosal at the Express Avenue Mall here on Sunday.
Walker waits a minute or two and throws a ball at Abhay. Immediately, Walker goes towards Tanvi Khanna, India’s second best player, after Joshna Chinappa, to have a discussion. Later, Joshna starts chatting with the coach after her sparring session with Tanvi.
It’s the friendly disposition and his ability to listen and offer sagely advice that has endeared him to the top Indian players.
Ahead of the Squash World Cup beginning here on Tuesday, the 56-year-old appeared in good spirits, and hoped India, seeded second, would perform well in the tournament.
“I am excited for the event with a new format of seven points. The intensity and quality in every game will be great. On home turf, I hope the crowd will be behind us. We have a great team with lots of experience,” said Walker in a conversation with The Hindu.
He said the Indians are in prime shape and if the players can play their best squash, India can go all the way. “I think all our players are in good shape, mentally and physically. We still have to prepare, get ready and perform. If everything goes well, we can go all the way,” said Walker.
On his stint as a coach with the Indian team for one and a half years, Walker said it has been a valuable experience seeing the young and old generation of players at the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy. “It’s been great to spend time at the National Training Centre and see the young kids. There are several players bubbling underneath the National senior team. The path is presented to the kids, a path the kids can see. There is good potential for the future. Anahat Singh is a great example,” he said.
Walker said he was keen to see the tournament begin with the crowd rooting for the home team. “I can’t wait to see it full. The atmosphere for the matches is going to be spectacular,” he said.
