Indian badminton will kick off the 2026 season with renewed optimism as PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the star men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy–Chirag Shetty prepare to compete at the Malaysia Open Super 1000, beginning Tuesday.
The prestigious tournament, with a prize pool of USD 1.45 million, marks a crucial reset for Indian shuttlers after a testing 2025 season impacted by injuries and inconsistent results at the elite level. The Malaysia Open will also serve as a vital tune-up ahead of next week’s India Open Super 750 in New Delhi.
All eyes will be on PV Sindhu, who returns to competitive action after a four-month absence due to a foot injury. The two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion will open her campaign against Sung Shuo Yun of Chinese Taipei, holding a comfortable 2–0 head-to-head advantage. Sindhu’s comeback is seen as a major boost for Indian badminton as she looks to regain rhythm and confidence early in the season.
Lakshya Sen, one of India’s brightest prospects, enters the tournament with momentum after ending a lean spell last year by winning the Australian Open Super 500 and finishing runner-up at the Hong Kong Open. The world championships bronze medallist will begin his Malaysia Open journey against Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh in their first-ever meeting.
Youngster Ayush Shetty, who impressed by winning the US Open Super 300, faces a tough opening test against Malaysia’s Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia, while Unnati Hooda will take on Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in a challenging first-round clash.
Returning from injury layoffs, Malvika Bansod and women’s doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand–Treesa Jolly will also look to build on recent positive performances, even as they face strong opposition early on.
In men’s doubles, third seeds Satwik and Chirag remain India’s most consistent performers. The Asian Games champions and former world No.1 pair will start their campaign against Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei, a pairing they have beaten five times already.
India’s depth will also be tested through experienced men’s doubles duo MR Arjun–Hariharan Amsakarunan, the Panda sisters in women’s doubles, and three mixed doubles pairs aiming to make early breakthroughs.
With several top players returning from injuries and younger shuttlers eager to prove themselves, the Malaysia Open could set the tone for India’s badminton ambitions in 2026.
