India, Aug. 3 -- Soon after the Indian men's team lost to Korea in the quarter-finals of the 2024 World Squash Junior Championships to stumble one step short of a medal, Harinder Pal Sandhu, coach of the team for the first time, set his mind on the next edition. That not only entailed hunting for the next crop of young probables but also making a quiet promise.

"To never have that feeling again, if ever the opportunity came up again," said Harinder.

It did, against the same team at the same stage. This time in Cairo, up against a more fancied, third seeded Asian champion Korea, the Indians would script a 2-1 upset and secure a medal. Although they lost to USA in the semi-finals, the bronze by the boys added to 17-year-old Anahat Singh's...