The cherished desire of upgrading the silver at Rio to gold at Glasgow did not materialise. That in no way diminishes the magnificent performance of the princess of Indian sport ~ Pursala V Sindhu.

Only those unable to perceive success beyond a medal-count will talk of “settling” for the second spot. Both Sindhu, and the rising Japanese superstar, Nozomi Okuhara, give every milligram of their skill, physical and mental energies in a 109-minute contest that triggered thoughts of what must have been the epic showdowns involving gladiators in Rome’s classical coliseum.

That the second and third games were tied at 20-all, and extra points were required, testifies to the razor-sharp competition, yet it was more than the score-line that would “register” with those who appreciate the finer points of sport: both women were on the verge of emotional disintegration when their duel finally ended.

They had been “stretched” on their way to the final, but still saved their best for the last, truly living up to the title of a World Championship. However, despite the tension, also the fight against the clock as they sought to regain whatever energy was possible during “breaks”, and an umpire who cut them no slack, the players generally retained their composure and as Nehru had once advised (hopefully Nehru-baiters will not recoil at the reference) played the game “in the spirit of the game”.

Sindhu has now collected two silvers and a couple of bronze medals at the highest level of badminton. She clearly has “what it takes” to convert silver into gold, though a little more attention will need to be given to physical conditioning for that provides the lifeblood of mental muscle. She is in good hands, and hopefully will maintain her dedication that is almost sure to reap a golden harvest.

A little luck would help, so too a realisation among her myriad fans that excessive pressure can prove counter-productive. Okuhara may have won on Sunday ~ Sindhu did not “lose”. It would be shameful not to appreciate Saina Nehwal’s return to the medal-winners’ podium at Glasgow.

To bounce back from injury to a place in the last four is truly commendable, particularly after indifferent performances on her comeback: perhaps she was feeling her way back to the highest echelons.

The all-round Indian showing at Glasgow has been impressive: seldom before have such a stream of talented young people trod the badminton court, and now that they have fired the imagination more could follow. The last few months have been a dream run for India’s sportswomen: Sindhu, Sania on the badminton court; Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jhulan Goswami on the cricket field… The stress must now be on boosting performance lower down the scale ~ without quality milk there can no creamy-layer.