Birmingham, March 10: Grappling with injuries, health setbacks and poor form, Indian shuttlers will face one of their toughest challenges when they aim to capture the elusive All England Championships beginning here on Tuesday.
Since Prakash Padukone’s historic win in 1980 and Pullela Gopichand’s triumph in 2001, no Indian has managed to capture the coveted All England title — one of the sport’s most prestigious crowns after the Olympics and World Championships.
In the past two decades, Indian badminton has soared to new heights, with stars like PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, and Kidambi Srikanth claiming major titles. However, none have been able to conquer the All England Championships, despite their numerous successes on the world stage. Saina and Lakshya Sen came close in 2015 and 2022, finishing as runners-up, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand reached the semifinals in consecutive editions. Every year, the Indian contingent sets its sights on this historic title, and yet, the elusive crown continues to slip through their grasp.
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This year, the challenge will be even greater as India’s top shuttlers arrive in Birmingham with a host of difficulties, including injury concerns and inconsistent form. After a disappointing Paris Olympics, the Indian shuttlers struggled to get off the mark in 2025. Sindhu faced injury woes, HS Prannoy made a slow recovery from a bout of chikungunya, Lakshya Sen has battled poor form, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is coping with the loss of his father who died last month.
Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, is back after recovering from a hamstring injury that forced her withdrawal from last month’s Asia Mixed Team Championships.
The 29-year-old, who hired Indonesian coach Irwanshyah Adi Pratama in January, will face Korea’s Ga Eun Kim in the opening round. A potential second-round clash against China’s Han Yue awaits, with Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung likely to challenge her in the quarterfinals. Lakshya, who was fourth at the Paris Olympics, enjoyed a semifinal run in the previous edition of the All England but has struggled in the new season with two first-round exits and a second-round finish. (PTI)
