Indian badminton declines post-Paris Olympics; what is road ahead?

Once flying high on the wings of glory, Indian badminton is now going through its choppiest phase in over a decade. Remember the days when Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu ruled courts across continents? When Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy routinely took down top seeds, and India was celebrated as a rising force in global badminton. That golden era isn't too far back, but it feels like a distant memory.

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The mood has shifted dramatically. Early exits, recurring injuries, and a medal-less run at the Paris Olympics 2024 have sparked serious concerns about the future of Indian badminton. The low point? India crashing out of the Sudirman Cup recently before even playing its final group match with a 1-3 loss to Indonesia, ironically the same team India defeated to lift the historic Thomas Cup in 2022.

That Thomas Cup victory in May 2022 was a final stamp on India’s emergence as a force in global badminton and raised hopes of a bright future for Indian shuttlers. Besides claiming the Thomas Cup, India was riding a real high in 2022 as it dominated the badminton event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games by grabbing the gold in men’s and women’s singles, men’s doubles and even in the team championship! Indian players also won several titles at other prestigious tournaments.

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No medal at Paris Olympics

Inevitably, badminton was one of India’s top medal hopes at the Paris Olympics, but for the first time since 2008, the nation failed to secure a medal in the sport. Lakshya Sen reached the semifinals in men's singles but lost the bronze medal match; two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu was eliminated in the Round of 16, and even the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exited in the quarterfinals.

After the Paris disappointment, there has been an alarming dip in the form of Indian players and global rankings reflect the huge slump. In the latest lists, not one Indian, male or female, figures in the Top 10 in singles. Lakshya has dropped to 18, exactly the spot that the once-invincible Sindhu now occupies. Ageing stalwarts Prannoy and Kidambi have slipped to 30 and 61, respectively. Even the power pair of Satwik-Chirag has now dropped out of the top 10 after years of dominating the doubles rankings.

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So, the key question is – what has led to this ‘Great Indian Badminton Slump’ and is there a way out to navigate past this crisis?

Top players struggling

There are no easy answers as to what is wrong and what can be done to revive India’s badminton fortunes. The recent decline is attributed to multiple factors ranging from a lack of consistency from top players, ageing superstars and a spate of injuries, to a dearth of reliable backup players and dwindling financial support.

Top players like Lakshya, Kidambi and Prannoy have struggled in men’s singles. Belying all odds, young Lakshya had reached a high of sixth in world rankings two years ago, defeating every player in the top 10 list, including the powerful Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. When he played the final of the All-England in 2022, most pundits tipped the Almora boy to become number one in the world.

Poor form since the crushing loss in the semi-finals in the Paris Olympics and frequent injuries/illnesses have seen Lakshya sliding to 18 in BWF’s latest rankings. With Lakshya failing to reach a major final since his Olympics defeat, experts believe that he has been simply unable to get over the Paris heartbreak.

In contrast, the ageing Prannoy and Kidambi are slowing down rapidly as both are now on the wrong side of 30. Though Prannoy still produces some great badminton, he now lacks the ability to win a number of consecutive matches. Experts say he gets tired faster than before, takes longer to recover and his best years are now behind him.

Age factor

The age factor is even more visible when Kidambi takes to the court these days. A former top-ranked player in the world, Kidambi is now playing like Saina Nehwal in her final years when she rarely went beyond the first round in most events. With age catching up, he needs to reflect on his career and plan on retiring at an opportune moment.

The situation in women’s singles is largely similar. Sindhu has led the Indian attack in recent years. But beset with injuries, she has been terribly out of form and has rarely progressed beyond the first few rounds in recent months. Given her attacking game, Sindhu can make a comeback but at 29, she is playing rather tentatively and seems lacking in self-confidence. Having got married last winter, whether Sindhu has the drive to return to the top is anybody’s guess and her tame losses in both her matches at the Sudirman Cup were hardly a great omen.

The problem for Indian badminton is that the Next Gen of shuttlers in men’s and women’s singles is still not good enough to be among top-ranked players. Upcoming stars like Ayush Shetty, Priyanshu Rajawat and Kiran George have shown potential but are yet to perform consistently at the highest level. Similarly, on the women’s side, Malvika Bansod, Akarshi Kashyap, Anupama Upadhyaya and Anmol Kharb are still struggling and may take a few years to become a force.

Saina calls for better infrastructure

Even the former players have recently talked about the systemic issues plaguing Indian badminton. In a recent podcast, Saina emphasised the need for better infrastructure, consistent support for athletes, and a more robust grassroots development programme. Also, renowned coach Pullela Gopichand stirred discussions by stating that unless one is financially well-off, pursuing sports in India is fraught with challenges. He pointed out the lack of long-term security and opportunities for athletes, making it a risky career choice for those without substantial backing.

Ironically, though India was traditionally known for its prowess in singles, it is the doubles pairs who are now showing great promise. While the men's duo of Satwik-Chirag has achieved remarkable success, in the past year they have struggled with recurrent injuries – and India urgently needs to find another pair to fill the big boots of Sat-Chi!

The other doubles categories continue to be a concern, though Gayatri Gopichand and Teressa Jolly are the new stars in making. Though Gayathri-Teressa are slowly rising, they are yet to become a consistently high-performing pair. In recent months, Gayathri (back injury) and Teressa (shoulder issue) have suffered injuries, which has made it trickier for India.

Fortunately, in mixed doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila have recently shown notable improvement as in the Badminton Asia Championships and the German Open in 2025. Prior to this, Tanisha was known for her successful partnership with Ishaan Bhatnagar, which was sadly cut short by Bhatnagar's injury. However, India has not produced consistently effective pairs in women's and mixed doubles, and this lack of depth weakens India's overall stature in team and individual events.

Administrative inefficiencies

Some reports also suggest that administrative inefficiencies and funding constraints within the Badminton Association of India (BAI) have recently hit the sport. The BAI has faced a significant cut in its annual budget, impacting various aspects of the sport. Experts say that issues like inadequate support for junior programs, lack of foreign exposure for young players and insufficient investment in infrastructure have worsened the recent decline.

Despite some hopeful signs, experts say corrective steps ought to be taken on priority to stem the current slide. Many stress on the urgency for structured training programmes and the need to reintroduce national camps and standardized training regimens for consistency in player performance. Also, implementing better health and fitness protocols is essential to prevent injuries among top players. Finally, we as a country must invest in sports science and research programmes to train young talent to ensure a steady flow of skilled players.

While India has the potential to be a powerhouse in the sport, addressing current challenges head-on will be crucial to reclaim its position on the global stage.