India’s ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth is all set to become the world number on Thursday, replacing Denmark’s Viktox Axelsen. Srikanth will become the first male badminton player from India and second overall after Saina Nehwal, to be crowned as the world number 1. Earlier, Saina Nehwal became the first Indian girl to become world No. 1 in the world in 2015.
Reigning world number 1 Viktor Axelsen has 77130 points but will lose 1660 points and slip down the ladder because he will be unable to defend the Malaysian Open title that he had won last year.
Srikanth scripted history on Monday, when he defeated former world number 1 Lee Chong Wei for the first time in his career to give a 2-0 to lead to India, in the all important gold medal match of mixed badminton events at Gold Coast CWG. Later India went on to defeat Malaysia 3-1 and win the gold medal.
You may like| Image Slideshow: India celebrates after winning gold in mixed badminton team events at Gold Coast CWG.
“We’ve been anxiously waiting for this moment. He should have become No. 1 last year but injury prevented him from playing the year-end tournaments. Had he reached quarterfinals in a couple of those tournaments he could have become No. 1. Though Srikanth won’t gain any points, Axelsen losing 1660 points will be good enough for the Indian,” Md Maqdoom Ahmed, a badminton analyst for the Sports Authority of India (SAI) was quoted as saying by Times of India .
