The New Indian Express ·
Sport
Asian Games 2026: Renewed India shuttlers look to ride the wave of momentum
CHENNAI: AT the start of the year, there was plenty of uncertainty surrounding the badminton players. They were win-shy and they just couldn't seem to string back-to-back wins on regularity. The India Open was a stark reality check as even the ever-reliable Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made an early exit. By the time the six-day event had reached the business end, the Indians were out of contention. That period of pain persisted, especially in individual events, for a fairly long time.
Fast forward now, there is a genuine sense of buzz among players. PV Sindhu's persistence is finally paying off as she has been operating with more fizz, displaying her old abilities to slay top rivals with her power game. Even Satwik and Chirag, who have had injury issues this year, have been able to apply their killer instincts and match their opponents, stroke-for-stroke, to be in a position of strength to defend their crown in the upcoming Asian Games. In just their second tournament after returning from injury, the doubles specialists spent over five hours on court to capture the China Masters recently, a timely lift ahead of the continental meet.
The manner in which they dealt with different match situations — chasing or closing out games — and the manner in which their bodies coped with the demands of high-intensity rallies demonstrated that they're truly back in business.
Despite heading into the Games with a title — their second this season, the Indians are not getting carried away. Their level-headed approach is one of the key reasons behind their exploits inside the court over the years. Chirag is expecting another tough assignment in Japan. "A lot of people will say we're the pair to beat before the Asian Games. I wouldn't say that. There are plenty of other good players as well and we'll look to have as much fun as we normally do on the court and if we're able to do that we'll be able to go deep into the tournament," he said after the title win. "When we are able to keep the results aside and take it one match at a time, we're able to do really well."
Sindhu, the winner of Japan Open, meanwhile, has shown more spunk in recent months. While Korean An Se Young has been largely untouchable in the circuit, the former world champion has beaten other high-ranked players to show that the former silver medallist at the event still has what it takes to be a formidable force.
Aside from the seasoned SatChi and Sindhu, the spotlight will also be on Ayush Shetty in the men's singles department. Having announced himself to the world with a silver medal in the Asian Championships earlier this April, the youngster from Karnataka will be looking to replicate that performance. Ayush is still far from finished product — the results in recent times have been up and down, but with some of the big hitters like Shi Yu Qi and Li Shi Feng far from their best, the 21-year-old, who'll be making his debut in the multi-discipline event, cannot be overlooked.
Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, the doubles specialists in the women's department, will also back themselves after their monumental output during the World Championships, where she won a bronze after beating higher-ranked rivals including formidable Chinese pairing of Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian.
After being hit by injuries, which had forced them to be in the shadows for a considerable period of time, Gayatri and Treesa had risen from the ashes with a power-packed show in New Delhi. Having stayed away for a month or so, they'll be entering the Asiad with a renewed sense of optimism. Just like SatChi, it's evident that they have a firm head on their shoulders. "I think we're still improving, still learning and I think I just want to also thank my physios, trainers, coaches; they've worked so, so hard to put us in form and I'm just super happy with whatever has happened this week, so happy, so grateful for everything," Gayatri had said after their Worlds feat.
The big question mark for the Indian contingent is the form (lack of) of Lakshya Sen. After his runner-up finish at the coveted All England Open, the Almora shuttler just hasn't been able to regain that spark in his strokes. An embarrassing defeat against unheralded Garret Tan in front of home fans during the World Championships was the nadir. But Asiad could act as a motivation and he will be looking to make his presence felt. Unnati Hooda, the second singles player in the women's category, is still a work in progress at the elite level. The teenager will looking to create an upset or two and gain valuable experience under her belt.
When it comes to team events, the shuttlers have had a different level of energy in recent years. They have pulled off some headline-grabbing milestones in team competitions over the years with the 2022 Thomas Cup gold medal — considered to be the World Championships (men's team) — being the high point. Even though the shuttlers were struggling to match their competitors in individual competitions on tour, the men, as a unit, had finished with a notable bronze medal in the aforementioned meet in Denmark earlier this year. With veterans like HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth in the team, the men, who had finished runners-up in the last edition, will be looking to challenge for a medal once again.
Two years ago, the women's team, led by Sindhu, had also experienced a ground-breaking run in the Badminton Asia Championships, capturing a yellow metal for the first time in the history of the competition. With Gayatri and Treesa up and running, and with some young and hungry talents like Tanvi Sharma in the squad, the women will also be aiming to leave a strong imprint in Japan.
