New Delhi: Two years ago, when Dommaraju Gukesh stormed the Candidates’ Tournament in Toronto, the chess world called it a miracle. By the time he defeated Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest ever world champion, that “miracle” had transformed into something else entirely, more like a seismic transformation.However, as the marathon search for the next challenger begins this Saturday in Cyprus, a strange silence hangs over the Indian camp.
Although Gukesh recently admitted that he wouldn’t mind an All-India battle against R Praggnanandhaa for the title, the pre-tournament buzz suggested that the Indians were not the favorites in both the open and women’s categories.American Wall: Why Nakamura and Caruana are aheadThe main reason for the lowered expectations is the sheer mathematical dominance of the American pair of world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana.In an era of teenage talent, veterans have recalibrated. Nakamura, 38, remains a natural freak, maintaining ratings above 2,800 while juggling a full-time streaming career.
“We cannot rule out Nakamura’s best chance,” senior master Pravin Thipsay told TimesofIndia.com. “He is the only player to stay above 2800 over the years. Nakamura is a strong contender, mainly because of his intelligence in preparing specific openings for specific players.”Caruana, 33, presents a different kind of hurdle with his “invincible” factor.“He’s very tough,” Tipsey said. “He doesn’t necessarily want to win from the start but he’s always down to earth. Caruana has the potential to go unbeaten in the tournament. The only question he faces is whether he can score enough points.”Plugg’s MysteryWhile the world has been waiting for Praggnanandhaa to take the final step, recent months have represented a period of consolidation rather than conquest. After a scorching run in the first half of 2025, the Chennai prodigy found the air at the top slightly thinner in the second half. His start in 2026 hasn’t brought much positive impact either.“Praggnanandhaa has had very good years but of late he has not been doing so well,” Thipsay said. To win his candidacy, Prager must return to his roots as a cold-blooded attacker.
“He has to concentrate on taking the initiative on White. His strength is mainly attacking the enemy king…he is good at tactics and combinations. “The old GM added.The challenge for the 20-year-old Indian is tactical courage. In a field that includes Wei Yi and the unpredictable Javorkir Zindarov (who Thipsay warns “can cause chaos but is used to making simple mistakes”), Pragnananda cannot afford to play it safe if he wants to stage a dream All-India World Championships.Women’s Field: Divya Deshmukh’s StrengthsIf the Open portion felt like a climb, the Women’s Candidates offered brighter hope. With legendary player Koneru Humpy withdrawing due to safety concerns in West Asia, attention has completely shifted to 20-year-old World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh and 24-year-old 2025 Women’s Swiss Grand Prix winner Vaishali Rameshbabu.Despite being ranked lower than top seed Zhu Jiner, Divya has a mental advantage that most female players lack because she often hunts on the open (dominated by men) circuit.
“The intelligence Divia brings to the men’s game makes her very strong against the best defenses,” Tipsay said. “When you play in a strong team, you should be able to deal with good defense. In the past, no Indian except Humpy has beaten a Chinese player in the tournament, but that is different in 2025. Divya and Humpy defeated four Chinese players.”Tipsey believes the championship is a direct penalty shootout: “I would say the top spot is expected to be Jukinl or Divya. Vasiali has one outside chance, but maybe only a second or third,” he added.As the clock ticked on Saturday, the story was clear. The ‘Gukesh effect’ has made the world wary of the Indian prodigy, but has also forced the old guard to sharpen their steel.For Nakamura and Caruana, this could be their last realistic shot at a world championship before the door is shut on the next generation.For India, the task was to prove that Gukesh was not a stand-alone miracle but the first of many.Whether Pragnananda can find the offensive initiative or Divya can dismantle China’s wall, the next three weeks of action in Cyprus will determine whether the World Championships is an internal Indian affair or a global tug-of-war.
