Being disconnected with Saurabh is our pair's success secret: Manu

New Delhi: Communication is key aspect in a team sport but Manu Bhaker believes that remaining "disconnected" with partner Saurabh Chaudhary has been the key to their golden run in four successive World Cups.

The teenagers will be gunning for a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics having already booked a quota place for the country.

"We are not very connected. We are two very different things (individuals)," the 17-year-old Manu said when asked about her recipe of success having won her fourth mixed World Cup gold in Rio de Janeiro, last week. At 17, one is free from fear of failure which is a common thread binding the teenage duo as they simply like to concentrate on their individual performances.

"We don't talk much. We are both on our own. We just focus on our individual performance. He doesn't give much thought on my performance and neither do I think about his. I think that makes us fearless and we shoot for ourselves and perhaps because of that, we are doing well," Manu explained. Manu will be among the 14 Indian shooters, who will represent the country at the year-ending World Cup Finals, scheduled to be held in Putian, China between November 17 and 23.

"I thought I will not be selected for World Cup final as I didn't win any individual medals this year. I won all the mixed team gold with Saurabh. So it was unexpected but now that I have been selected, I am so happy and excited to go for the World Finals. I will work hard to do well," she said. Last year, Manu had won a series of gold medals, which include the Guadalajara World Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics at Buenos Aires. There were also disappointments in store when she suffered a pistol malfunction during the 25m Rapid Fire pistol final at the Munich World Cup, forcing her to forfeit.