After a period of high and sustained excellence, has Indian badminton begun to wither—perhaps taken a downswing? The question seems pertinent given the current performances of our established stars like P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, as well as the top-flight doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who are struggling in tournaments and failing to inspire confidence as before—let alone win titles.

Injuries appear to be a major issue. Almost everyone seems to be carrying some niggle or the other, and it is the fortunes of Indian badminton that are getting eroded, with no fresh talent on the horizon to keep the momentum going.

Perhaps what brought attention to the current state of affairs in the sport was the outcome of the Paris Olympics last year, where India returned without a medal in badminton. For three successive Olympics—from London 2012 onwards—Indian badminton had clinched at least one medal. The silver in Rio 2016, thanks to Sindhu, was the high point. At that stage of her career, Sindhu was in a league of her own. She followed up with a bronze in Tokyo 2020, and at that point, it seemed that each Olympics from then on would add another glorious chapter to Indian badminton history.

However, Paris 2024 proved to be a disappointment, especially when expectations were high. Hopes were pinned on not just one, but two potential medals. Lakshya Sen had shaped up well, and the doubles team of Satwik and Chirag had built strong momentum.........

© Mathrubhumi English