Indian badminton: Cautious optimism for Paris but blueprint for better future needed

Ironic as it sounds, the performance dynamics of Indian badminton have changed dramatically in the past decade, but the quantum of joy gained by the lovers of the sport in the country is more or less the same. From the days of meagre Indian presence in singles and almost making a token appearance in doubles, the sport has moved to the other end of the scale. In 2023, there was very little to look forward to in the women’s singles, the source of excitement for home-grown fans since 2006. Men’s singles provided just a few moments to cheer, thanks to the never-say-die spirit of H. S. Prannoy.

While the lone men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy shone the brightest, the mixed doubles continued to lack a cutting edge, and the women’s doubles remained a work in progress. As a result, the Indian badminton cupboard stood bare for everyone to see.

Before delving into the stagnant side of the game in India, let’s rejoice in the moments that brought joy and pride to the badminton court. Chirag and Satwik’s achievements, including becoming Asian champions, securing three titles from four Tour finals, and attaining the World No. 1 spot, were undeniably the highlights of the year.

Starting the year with a bronze in the Badminton Asia mixed team championship, the first success came at the Swiss Open. For the World Championship bronze medallists, the Asian title came in Dubai, and the duo changed gears to win its first BWF World Super 1000 title by claiming the Indonesian Open. The two went on to add the Korea Open title next. The only runner-up finish was in the China Masters, where they lost a close three-game encounter.

Lakshya Sen struggled with fitness issues, and the nose surgery added to the delay in the youngster producing his best. Prannoy made the Indian presence noticeable and finished the year as World No. 8. The most impressive aspect of Prannoy was that he stayed in the world top-10 after starting the year at 8.

On the Tour, consistency helped Prannoy defend the points earned in 2022. He won the Malaysia Masters and finished runner-up in the Australian Open. Semifinal appearances in the Indonesia Open, World Championship, and Asian Games— both worth a bronze medal — lent some more sheen to his report card. Being the quarterfinalists of the Malaysia Open, Asian Championship, Taipei Open, Japan Open, and China Open were the other reasonably good finishes.

For the record, 16th-ranked Lakshya triumphed in the not-so-strong Canadian Open. He reached the semifinals of the Thailand Open, US Open, and Japan Open. After reaching the pre-quarterfinals of the World Championship, he fell in the second round of five successive tournaments. Clearly, Lakshya has plenty to work on in 2024.

The year proved a forgettable one for K. Srikkanth, the former No. 1 currently occupying the 24th spot. His best performances were his quarter-final appearances at the Spain Masters, Malaysia Masters, Indonesia Open, and Australian Open. In most tournaments in 2023, he lost in the second round. These include competitions like the Syed Modi India International.

P.V. Sindhu, too, battled fitness issues for the better part of a forgettable year. Starting 2023 as World No. 7, she slipped to 17 before finishing at 11. Out of 17 tournament appearances, Sindhu lost in the opening round of seven of her first 13 outings this year. In 50 matches, she won 28 and lost 22.

Interestingly, even without winning a single title in 2023, Sindhu figured in Forbes’ 20 Highest Paid Female Athletes for the Year. Not surprisingly, she was the only Indian on that list, with estimated earnings of $7.1 million. She struggled with a stress fracture suffered at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. After a five-match layoff, she made an unimpressive comeback. Due to poor results, she parted ways with Korean coach Park Tae-Sang and hired Malaysian Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, who later made way for Indonesian Agus Dwi Santoso.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu, 28, is focused on getting it right at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She expects Santoso to turn her fortunes around at the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru.

For those curious about Saina Nehwal, the former World No. 1 was placed 30th on the ranking list at the start of 2023. She finished the year at a distant 97. She played a total of nine singles matches spread over six tournaments and managed to win only three first-round matches. In fact, when Saina was still active, with Sindhu too making giant strides, the two augmented India’s strength in women’s singles in premier competitions. During those days, India lacked a third player of substance. At present, finding even a second player with some decent playing strength appears to be a luxury, so dismal is the scenario for women’s singles in the country.

The young women’s doubles combination of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopi Chand started 2023 at 16 and finished at 19. In contrast, the vastly experienced doubles specialist Ashwini Ponnappa and her young partner Tanisha Crasto came together in May and had a ranking of 112 in the doubles rankings. If they ended the year at an impressive 24th, it was mainly due to the way they finished the season. They reached the final of three successive events at home after winning the Abu Dhabi Masters. They lost in the finals of the Syed Modi India International and Odisha Masters, but in between, they won the Guwahati Masters. As a result, two women’s pairs will be vying for a qualifying spot in the Olympics. In reality, barring the exploits of Chirag and Satwik and hopes of a strong comeback from Sindhu, not much is expected from the younger crop in 2024. Prannoy and Lakshya will again be the ones to watch out for in men’s singles. But the present quality of the creamy layer of India in singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles continues to be a source of worry. When it comes to champion-building, the year 2024 should serve as a great reality-check on where the sport is headed in the country.