New Delhi
Indian badminton endured a challenging and often uneven 2025, marked by injuries, fluctuating form and limited success at the elite level, but flashes of brilliance from Lakshya Sen, the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and an impressive rise of young talent offered cautious optimism in a year of transition.
The season felt more like a period of reassessment than consolidation, with several established players struggling to find rhythm due to recurring fitness setbacks. Against that backdrop, Lakshya Sen’s triumph at the Australian Open Super 500 stood out as India’s most significant individual achievement. The title marked a return to form after a difficult post-Paris Olympics phase and was his first Super 500 crown since 2023. Sen also reached the Hong Kong Open final, signalling renewed consistency at the top level.
In an otherwise stop-start year, Satwik and Chirag reaffirmed their status as India’s premier men’s doubles pair despite battling injury and illness early in the season. Their bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris, finals appearances at the Hong Kong Open and China Masters, and a historic knockout-stage finish at the BWF World Tour Finals underscored their resilience and class.
Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth showed signs of revival with runner-up finishes at the Malaysia Masters and Syed Modi International but remained without a title. In women’s doubles, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly provided rare stability by successfully defending their Syed Modi International crown.
The most encouraging signs came from the next generation. Ayush Shetty won the U.S. Open Super 300, while teenagers Tanvi Sharma and Unnati Hooda impressed with consistent performances, major scalps and titles, highlighting growing depth in Indian badminton. Sanskar Saraswat’s Super 100 triumph added to the promise.
However, 2025 was largely frustrating for senior stars like PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy, both hampered by injuries and early exits. Combined with underwhelming team-event results, the year reflected a sport in transition — one searching for balance between fading experience and rising youth, but with hope clearly on the horizon.