India’s star shuttlers are gearing up for the fourth edition of the BWF Super 750 India Open, scheduled to take place from January 13–18 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
This edition of the India Open holds special significance on the BWF calendar, as it will serve as a dress rehearsal for the World Championships, which are set to be hosted at the same venue in August.
“This year, we are hosting the India Open at the main arena of the IG Stadium, as this is a test event for the World Championships. If we find any shortcomings here, we can address and improve them for the Worlds,” said BAI Secretary General Sanjay Mishra at the pre-event press conference in New Delhi.
“After 17 years, India has the opportunity to host the World Championships, and we want to ensure we do it properly. Before that, it is equally important to conduct the test event successfully,” he added.
Tricky Draws for Indian players
The biggest first-round clash for Indian fans will be between rising star Ayush Shetty and current India No. 1 Lakshya Sen.
The matchup comes as a disappointment for fans, as one of the two Indian contenders will exit the tournament early. It is particularly tough for Ayush, who is making his India Open debut and finds himself facing a fellow Indian straight away.
“To play Lakshya in the first round is a pity, as we don’t want Indian fans to watch two Indians play each other so early. But I see this as a challenge, as he is obviously one of the best in the world,” Ayush told the media ahead of his India Open debut against Lakshya.
This will be the third meeting between the two, with Lakshya holding the upper hand after winning both of their previous encounters. Ayush, however, said he is hopeful of turning the tables this time.
On the other hand, last week’s Malaysia Open semi-finalist PV Sindhu faces a tough opening-round challenge against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh.
Fresh off an impressive run at the Super 1000 event, where she reached the semi-finals for the first time in five years, Sindhu will look to carry that momentum in front of her home crowd.
However, it will not be an easy task, as Sindhu has often struggled against Nguyen. Three of their four previous meetings have gone to deciders, highlighting the closely contested nature of their rivalry.
In fact, Sindhu lost both of her encounters against the Vietnamese shuttler last year and currently holds a 2–2 head-to-head record.
Indian Squad for India Open 2026
Men’s Singles -Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy
Women’s Singles – PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Tanvi Sharma
Men’s Doubles – Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Hariharan Amsakarunan/MR Arjun
Women’s Doubles – Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand, Shruti Mishra/Priya Konjengbam, Rutuparna Panda/Swetparna Panda, Kavipriya Selvam/Simran Singhi, Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat
Mixed Doubles – Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Gadde, Ashith Surya/Amrutha P, Dhruv Rawat/Maneesha K
Where to Watch the India Open 2026
Eurosport and Eurosport HD will broadcast live action from the first two courts of the India Open 2026. Live streaming will also be available on the BAI Media YouTube channel and the BWF TV YouTube channel.
