Legendary Indian badminton coach Prakash Padukone has termed India’s performance at the 2026 Asian Games as “a little disappointing”, saying the country’s shuttlers should have matched or improved on their previous medal tally.
Padukone believes Indian players need to show greater consistency and adopt a more strategic approach to the international calendar to sustain their success at the highest level.
The former national coach urged players to identify four or five key tournaments each season and prepare to peak at those events, rather than attempting to maintain their best form throughout the year.
He also pointed to two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu as an example for the current generation, praising her continued hunger for success following her recent Japan Open triumph.
Padukone suggested that players such as Lakshya Sen and India’s doubles pairs must draw inspiration from Sindhu’s determination and maintain their motivation to compete at the highest level over the next five to six years.
He also flagged the upcoming introduction of the 15-point, best-of-three-games scoring system next year as a significant challenge for Indian shuttlers. According to Padukone, the change will require players to become more aggressive and adapt their strategies, making a sustained adjustment period of at least six months important.
While acknowledging India’s strength in singles badminton, Padukone highlighted the difficulties involved in developing successful doubles combinations. He noted that building competitive pairs presents a different challenge from producing quality men’s and women’s singles players.
His assessment comes as Indian badminton looks to strengthen its international competitiveness and build greater depth across events. Padukone’s remarks underline the need for consistent performances, careful tournament planning and a stronger doubles programme if India is to translate its individual talent into a more successful team showing at major multi-sport competitions.
