CHENNAI: Ayush Shetty is living his dream at the moment. Badminton is his language and he had always dreamt about trading the shuttle with the best in business. In the last few days, he was doing just that with remarkable aplomb. A sensational run that helped him join a rare club.
"I always wanted to be one of the best players in the world, that was always my dream. Back then (when he was much younger), I didn't believe it as much as I do now. Over the period of time, I really started believing that I really want to be the best. I have to put in the work. Now I really believe that I want to be the best and I'm working hard on that," Ayush, fresh after capturing a rare silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in China, said in a media interaction facilitated by the Badminton Association of India.
That growing belief was evident throughout the course of last week during the continental meet in Ningbo. It was more than just a silver medal for India. It was a performance that could echo for years to come. In the process, it also provided a glimpse into the future of Indian badminton. Ayush sent a powerful message, stamping his arrival in a grand manner.
Giants of the game were left scratching their heads in the process as the 20-year-old Karnataka player, still raw at this level, outwitted them like a seasoned professional. World No 7 Li Shi Feng, World No 4 Jonatan Christie, World No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn were some of his prized scalps. Reflecting on his performances, he said trusting the process helped him navigate those crunch matches.
"The process, I just kept trusting the process, thinking that I'm doing the right things. I kept believing in myself, I think that was the most important part. If you look skill-wise, I was playing more attacking this week. I didn't want to go defensive. That was a key point," he said.
A run like this is like finding water in a desert. The last time an Indian men's singles player had entered the final was in 1965. He had the opportunity to retrace Dinesh Khanna's — the last man from the country to reach the final — gold but he was denied by reigning world champion Shi Yu Qi of China.
"In the final, Shi didn't give me much of a chance to attack. He kept his lengths perfect. The main thing he did was he didn't give me the chance to dominate at the net. He was pushing the pace, not giving me any chance at the net. I couldn't create any good attacks...that's something I need to work on. I need to be more patient and play longer rallies," he said.
In the build-up to the event, Ayush's track record this season had been far from best. The performance, as such, was a bit of a surprise. Having said that, the former World Junior Championships medallist had been showing signs of promise for some time. He said his experience in 2025 had also added to his confidence.
"Last year I won against a few top players and that played an important role. It gave me confidence that I can face the best players in the world. Also, I really enjoy playing against them (top players) and I try to give my best."
Part of Centre of Excellence, where he has solid support staff, he had had a few training sessions under Irwansyah, PV Sindhu's coach, before the continental meet. He said that the Indonesian coach was looking to help improve his endurance levels. "It's just been two weeks. With Irwansyah, the sessions are a bit longer than before. I'm spending a lot more time on the court. It's longer and tougher sessions, a bit more exhausting."
Looking at the bigger picture, this run gave him a chance to experience the rigours of playing back-to-back high-quality ties at the elite level and he felt he brought in more intent in his game. "This week I was more aggressive. Usually that's not the case. I was really aggressive, showing how much I wanted to win all the matches."
Moving forward, Ayush will be studied more prudently by his opponents. Moreover, the Indian is also bound to face high expectations. "I see it as a challenge (expectations). I'm enjoying myself and looking forward to the rest of the year," Ayush, whose main targets are World Championships and Asian Games, said.
The Badminton World Federation, having proposed a 3x15 scoring system, is due to make a call on the point format at the AGM this month. Ayush said he favours the existing system.
"I would always prefer the 21-point format. You have long matches and sometimes you have short matches as well. At 15, you'll have less freedom. There will be quick points and the matches will be shorter. the 21-point format is much more fun."
