Analysing strengths and weaknesses of young prodigy Tasnim Mir

The youngster has impressed everyone with her performance recently.

In the ongoing Thomas and Uber Cup 2020, Tasnim Mir has attracted attention from all around after her impressive debut in the competition. Coming in after Saina Nehwal's injury, the 16-year-old was up against 21-year old Lauren Middleton of Scotland. However, unafraid of the age-gap, badminton prodigy Mir did not give her opponent a chance to dominate.

She eventually won the match 21-15, 21-6 in dominant fashion. Very soon in her next match against Supanida Katethong of Thailand, she again impressed everyone with her play. Although Tasnim lost the match 19-21, 15-21, she showed the hope and spark of becoming the future star of Indian badminton. 

Veteran Saina Nehwal has been struggling to regain her form for a while now. In her absence, PV Sindhu always finds herself at the centre stage to provide much-needed wins to India. However, the question arises whether prodigy Tasnim Mir will be able to fill in the shoes of Saina and Sindhu?

The youngster has displayed maturity at a young age in the Thomas & Uber Cup and several other international tournaments. Let's take a look at a couple of her strengths and weaknesses. 

Strengths

A multiple national crown winner, Tasnim Mir started training at the age of seven under her father Irfan Ali Mir. Her foundation training with her father should be considered one of her strengths, as this has helped her reach the topmost level. She is currently training in Guwahati under coach Edwin Iriawan.

In an interview with Sportskeeda, her coach said that Mir is a hard-working and quality player. Also, he mentioned her having a strong chance to reach the top in the senior circuit. Moreover, he highlighted how Tasnim's aggressiveness and smart play will stand her in good stead at the international level. 

Currently ranked World No. 4 in the Junior World Rankings, the young player from Mehsana has emerged victorious at several international tournaments as well. 

Moreover, her on-court agility and deception can make her one of the finest badminton players in the world. Tasnim's fighting spirit and attitude are some of her biggest strengths. She is also a talented stroke-maker and can hit the shuttle to any corner of the court effectively. At the ongoing Thomas and Uber Cup, she has played with utmost confidence and given a tough fight to higher-ranked opponents.

Weaknesses 

As seen in her past few performances, a series of forced and unforced errors on her side have proved expensive for the Indian team. Though her fighting spirit is one of a kind, the youngster can work on longer rallies, as she sometimes falters in them. For any player in any sport, there is always the scope for improvement no matter at what level you play. Likewise, with highly-efficient technique and experience, within no time, we would be able to see Tasnim play on the highest stage and win medals for India in different tournaments. 

At the tender age of 16, Tasnim Mir is already doing well at the international level. She has produced remarkable performances in the junior circuit all over the world and hopefully, with a strong technique, she can reach the top of the rankings. This has also encouraged many other young players to work hard to reach a high level. Her dream is to finish on the podium at the 2024 Olympics. 

The youngster is currently supported by Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) and is also a part of the government's Target Olympic podium scheme (TOPS). With such kind of support, intensive practice and an absence of injuries on her side, she should realize her dream soon. Notably, she is one of the strongest hopes in women's singles in India after Saina and Sindhu. 

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