Two-time World squash champion and former World No. 1 David Palmer of Australia has agreed to be the coach of the Indian squash team for the Asian team championships to be held at Kuala Lumpur from March 25 to 29 next year.
If the Sports Ministry accepts the proposal of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), the 43-year-old will be in the city to host a camp from March 15 and travel with the squad to Malaysia.
“We [SRFI] had written to the Ministry 10 days back, seeking its approval to have Palmer as the coach. SRFI had spoken to Palmer recently and got his confirmation.
“We are also looking at Palmer on a long-term basis most probably till the 2022 Asian and Commonwealth Games,” SRFI Secretary Cyrus Poncha told The Hindu here on Tuesday.
If the Ministry accepts SRFI’s request, this will be the first time Palmer will coach an Indian team, junior or senior.
Palmer is currently coaching at Cornell University in New York where Veer Chotrani, the reigning Asian under-19 boys’ singles champion, is a student.
In fact, some of the Indian senior players, including Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa, Vikram Malhotra and Ramit Tandon have all trained with Palmer.
Even Egypt’s Mohamed El Shorbagy, former World No. 1 and current No. 2, has trained under him.
Invaluable experience
“His [Palmer’s] experience as a top-class player will be invaluable. Moreover, he has won three gold medals in the Commonwealth Games (men’s doubles, 2014 and 2018 and mixed doubles, 2014).
That will help us do well in doubles as well. We are looking forward to having him as a coach,” said Poncha.
The SRFI secretary said the Indian teams for the Asian event will be picked based on the senior National championships to be held in Chennai from February 9 to 15, and the World rankings in February 2020.
