India has dominated the medals tally at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, but that isn’t really newsworthy, is it? India has always been the sporting powerhouse in South Asia and therein lies the reason behind some people wanting India to pull out of future Games – because it is just too ‘easy’. I understand the rationale but if one looks a bit deeper, it might present a slightly different picture.

Playing for India’s Pride

Finally, for many athletes it is a massive privilege to don the India T-shirt and play for the country. The sense of pride I feel when playing for India is unparalleled.

That is also the reason why I hold my gold medal in the team event at the Asian Games in 2014 as my single biggest achievement.

The South Asian Games give athletes another opportunity to come together and play as a team. This is required to foster team spirit which can take you very far. Just look at how Leicester City are tearing the Premier League apart!

So, to all the people who think the South Asian Games is a waste of time for India; please have the foresight to look beyond the medals tally. In the long run, it will help India go a lot further.