What kind of career roadmap awaits Sushil Kumar?

The ‘future career roadmap’ of iconic grappler Sushil Kumar has come under intense scrutiny in Indian wrestling circles. His ‘long absence’ from ‘international competitions’ has been triggering so much talk, simply because he is India’s biggest wrestling star and one who can rightfully take a large chunk of the credit for all the ‘highs’ Indian wrestling has scaled over the ten years or so. Sushil was the one, who ensured Indian wrestling was talked about glowingly globally when he lapped up the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and subsequently improved on that feat with a silver-medal effort at the 2012 London Olympics. And now with the 2019 World Wrestling Championship a couple of months away (it will be held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan from September 14-22) and the big one next year coming up – the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Indian wrestling buffs will be really looking forward to know whether Sushil figures in the national team’s scheme of things for the 2019 World Wrestling Championship and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Of course, he is not getting any younger and at 36, one is not sure whether Sushil has all the required ammunition to carve out one more ‘Olympic flourish’. However, it is important to understand that Sushil hasn’t stepped into the international arena this year at all – his last international appearance was at the 2018 Asian Games, where he was a big disappointment, crashing out early in the 74-kg category. In fact, the star grappler withdrew from the final selection trials for the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Xian, China and was replaced by Amit Dhankar, who made the most of the opportunity to bag a silver medal in the 74-kg category.

So why has Sushil’s international wrestling future set tongues wagging?

Well, it is because he hasn’t attended any of the national selection trials after last featuring at the 2018 Asian Games. Further, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has a policy that makes it mandatory for all wrestlers to be part of the national camp to be in contention for selection trials for any major event. Of course, it is significant to point out that the three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist used to enjoy ‘national camp exemption’ on quite a few occasions, but there is a general line of thought that the WFI isn’t any longer keen to extend such a courtesy to any wrestler, including Sushil. The two-time Olympic medallist is currently training with his personal coach Malikov Kamal at Dagestan's Kayakent sports school in Russia – interestingly, Sushil’s overseas training stint with his personal coach was approved by the WFI after he had put in a request. The selection trials for the 2019 World Wrestling Championship are expected to take place in the last week of July. Sushil Kumar

“Sushil is currently training in Russia with his personal coach Malikov Kamal, and if he wants to attend the selection trials for the upcoming World Wrestling Championship, the federation will surely grant him permission. Of course, the federation has a policy that makes it mandatory for our wrestlers to be part of the national camps for attending selection trials for any major event, but as far as Sushil is concerned he can attend the selection trials,” said Vinod Tomar, Assistant Secretary, Wrestling Federation of India.

The WFI Assistant Secretary did not say it in as many words but dropped enough indications that the ‘selection trial exemption’ is a thing of the past.

“There should be an equal opportunity for all wrestlers; after all it is the World Wrestling Championship. We want to send our best medal prospects to Kazakhstan. The good thing about doing away with ‘trial exemption’ is that we can assess the ‘form’ of our wrestlers and not leave anything to chance.” Come July last week, we will get to see if Sushil Kumar takes part in the selection trials for the upcoming World Wrestling Championship or pulls out as he did ahead of the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships. Much is at stake at the World Wrestling Championship, as 2020 Tokyo Olympic spots will be up for grabs. From an Indian perspective, a ‘resurgent Sushil’ making it to the upcoming World Wrestling Championship by going through the trials, subsequently qualifying for the 2020 Olympics and going on to churn out a third Olympic medal in Tokyo is a script Indian wrestling lovers wouldn’t mind one bit.