HS Prannoy’s deceptive push that was 15 years & a week in the making | Badminton News

Having watched HS Prannoy induct a bunch of doubles strokes from their sparring sessions at the Gopichand Academy into his arsenal to surprise opponents, former doubles shuttler Pranaav ‘Jerry’ Chopra identified the latest bamboozler from World Championships as something that flummoxed even him despite knowing Prannoy’s game since they were 13.The shot in the spotlight, watched on a loop and now part of the glory story of Prannoy’s Worlds bronze is what he played at 19-19 in the decider against Loh Kean Yew in the pre-quarterfinals at Copenhagen last month.
The skill to play that deceptive push returning Loh’s serve, was entirely down to at least 15 years of mastering it, Jerry explains. The courage to play it at a critical 21-18, 15-21, 19-19 juncture though, was reinforced coach Pullela Gopichand’s diktat to practice just two shots and nothing else in the week leading up to the Worlds. It would come off spectacularly at the right time, and raises anticipation heading into the Asian Games about what Prannoy will pull off next at Hangzhou.

The adrenaline of pacy, power-hitting from the back court was flowing through the longer rallies, when Loh served at 19-19 in the decider. Noone would’ve expected Prannoy to snap the rally shut at return of serve when booming smashes in longer rallies had been the trend. With his nuanced return, Prannoy paused that speed whirlpool; he stopped time.
It was a short serve coming down the centre, and that’s when Prannoy would execute a loopy deception that will be remembered for years to come. The Indian standing behind the service line would take a long, quick stride laterally to the right. The whole momentum of the body and his backhand pointed towards him sending the shuttle cross. To his right, and Loh’s left.

Loh who stands with a side stance had his right leg in front of the left, ready to take the return across his body on the backhand. That’s when Prannoy – his whole lunging motion signalling the shuttle would go right, in a masterly feint – would instead hold the racquethead back like pulling on a horse’s reins. His body going right, the racquet wr jumping left, he would push the shuttle to Loh’s far forehand, almost blindsiding him with the deception. A faux forehand with a backhand grip, if you like.
Screengrab of Prannoy playing the deceptive push
The 2021 World Champion, threatening to muscle his way through this match with big smashes and poised to play the backhand, could only offer a kneejerk turn and look behind him in vain as the disguised shuttle landed far away at his forehand sideline and Prannoy took matchpoint at 20-19. The beautiful last-second wrwork with the elbow parallel to the ground and feint of a footwork punctured the Singaporean’s power intent, as Prannoy made his way into the quarters to battle Axelsen for a medal.
It needed the precision angle of a key turning inside a lock. “Firstly he was quick on his feet, like a simple regular receiving stance,” Jerry explains. “He showed Loh that he was taking the shuttle at a higher point with his arms open, then held the racquet back, moving his body in the opposite direction to where he sent the shuttle,” Jerry adds.
Screengrab of coaches Gopichand and Guru Saidutt reacting to Prannoy playing the deceptive push at 19-19 in decider against Loh Kean Yew.
In the same deceptive vein, Prannoy could’ve played a safer shot and prolonged the rally. But the beauty was in the angle – a delish risky tightrope – aimed at a kill. “The shuttle landed on the far sideline. Prannoy intended to score an outright point when receiving the serve itself, not merely sprinkle slight deception to continue the rally,” Jerry adds.

The 31-year-old Indian had played a similar deception, not a receiving push but disguise from the net, thrice against Anthony Ginting earlier last year at Swiss Open 2022, where he made a tournament final after five years. It was the start of his resurgence. Jerry, who had retired then and happened to be in Europe had travelled to Basel and was watching from the stands, as Prannoy charged the net with arms open and similar footwork, and sent the shuttle left instead of right. “I remember getting startled watching the Loh match on tv and thinking how did that happen,” Jerry would say.Most Read
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It was the timing that was astounding. Right when receiving. At 19-19 when, had it gone wrong and drifted out for 19-20 instead of 20-19, Prannoy would’ve rued the risk for years to come. “He might’ve played this in many matches, but credit to him to pull it off at 19-all. It was a risky deception close to the sideline. You cannot play that without planning that shot. To play that at 19-19 needs courage,” Jerry says. It also showed Prannoy’s mastery over the drift conditions, knowing just how much to push for it to fall where it did in the backcourt close to the lines.

Against a rampaging Loh Kean Yew who hits hard and whose defense is competent, finding yourself at 19-19 could’ve landed anyone in a mental freeze. Not Prannoy who was prepared. “Loh’s quick, you can’t surprise him with power. You need small, small weapons for such times when you are grinding out wins,” coach Pullela Gopichand would explain.
There’s a bagful of tricks in the Prannoy-Gopichand treasure trove, and expect them to unfurl at the Asian Games where opponents will come with added motivation of a once-in-four-years medal. The deceptive push against Loh Kean Yew at the Worlds was just the sneak peek, though it came on the path to a precious Worlds medal. From Hangzhou to Paris, expect the unexpected from HS Prannoy. With a rolling flick of a wr, he can tease the shuttle far away from where you thought it’d come.