What stands out most is Ayush Shetty’s composure… He is handling pressure situations well: Coach Vimal Kumar

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4 min readMumbaiApr 11, 2026 11:37 PM IST

Ayush Shetty became the first Indian men’s singles player to reach the final since 1965. (Credit: Badminton Asia Championships)

India’s Ayush Shetty Saturday stormed into the Badminton Asia Championships final, becoming the only Indian in line to win the men’s singles crown after Dinesh Khanna’s victory in 1965.

The 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 World No. 25 from Karnataka’s Karkala village defeated World No.1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 10-21, 21-19, 21-17, riding on his power smash that comes from almost an 8-foot watchtower-like vantage when he leaps to connect.

In the finals Sunday, Ayush will take on World Champion Shi Yuqi from China.

“The Asians (championship) is tougher than the World Championships,” Vimal Kumar, coach at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, said about the tournament.

Ayush’s semifinal against Vitidsarn was not his first sensational victory in the Championships – earlier this week, he similarly humbled former Asiad champion No.4 Jonatan Christie and the Chinese heir apparent No.7 Li Shifeng, using his smash to stub their defiance.

Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty in action during the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China. (PHOTO: Badminton Asia Championships)

Having trained with double Olympic reigning champion Viktor Axelsen, considered a contemporary great, in Dubai, Ayush has honed a formidable power game – armed with his forehand cross-court cannoning smash – to reignite India’s tryst with contests for badminton titles. While Khanna remains the only Indian to win the men’s singles gold at the Asia Championships, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the doubles crown in 2023.

In Ningbo, Ayush also displayed a remarkable handling of pressure situations. “He handled all the crucial moments exceptionally well and clearly got into Kunlavut’s mind,” Vimal said, describing how Ayush overturned a 10-21 first set setback to win the next two 21-19, 21-17.

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After leading 20-14 in the second, Ayush was overcome by anxiety allowing Kunlavut to close within a point, at 20-19. “However, he responded brilliantly with a decisive down-the-line smash to close out the game,” said Vimal.

In the decider, Ayush looked physically exhausted. Yet, his steep, powerful down-the-line smashes and well-directed half-smashes to Kunlavut’s forehand proved decisive and completely turned the match in his favour.

“What stands out most is Ayush’s composure. He is handling pressure situations remarkably well,” the coach said.

Ayush Shetty in action during his semifinals match at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026. (Credit: Badminton Asia Championships)

A self-motivated shuttler who started playing in his backyard with his father and his friends, Ayush always dreamed big and moved to Bengaluru in his teens for better coaching. There he trained under Mohit Kamat and Krishna Kumar, who chiselled his basics. While his strong net-game is natural, his smash variations were honed at Prakash Padukone-Vimal Kumar’s academy.

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Over the years, an extremely driven Ayush grew up with very high expectations of himself, and losses would send him down a spiral. An introvert, he often found it tough to open up or seek help. Last December, he endured a painful back injury that later made it impossible for him to stand straight, but he has since sought help from a psychologist and has a good team working to keep him physically strong.

Last year, Ayush beat top names — Rasmus Gemke, Kodai Naraoka and Loh Kean Yew — but the back injury held him back at the start of this season. He stepped up to play his first singles at the Asia Team Championships, but lost from a leading position to Korea as India missed a medal. After the Swiss Open, he snapped his racquet into two in anger after a loss.

Things, however, seem to have come together this week, for both Ayush and Indian badminton. With him at the Asians and Lakshya Sen making the All England finals, the squad for the coming Thomas Cup looks ominous again.

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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