Indian shuttlers face a formidable test in Birmingham this week as they battle injuries, inconsistent form, and personal setbacks ahead of the All England Championships starting on Tuesday.

Indian badminton’s top talent is entering the tournament under challenging circumstances. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is making her comeback after a hamstring injury that forced her out of last month’s Asia Mixed Team Championships. In her opening round, she is set to clash with Korea’s Ga Eun Kim, with potential future encounters against China’s Han Yue and Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung looming large.

Similarly, Lakshya Sen—who shone with a bronze at the 2021 World Championships and made a semifinal appearance in the previous All England edition—had a bad season with two first-round exits and a second-round finish. His campaign kicks off against Japan’s Koki Watanabe, and a win could pave the way for a high-stakes duel with Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie.

HS Prannoy, now ranked World No. 30 following a difficult year that saw him struggle with chikungunya, has yet to get past the second round in 2025. His journey begins against France’s Toma Junior Popov, as he aims to bounce back from his recent setbacks.

In men’s doubles, Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty—seeded seventh and one of India’s most reliable pairs—will take on Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard. Meanwhile, the women’s doubles action features World No. 9 duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who will meet Chinese Taipei’s Shuo Yun Sung and Chien Hui Yu. Their counterparts, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, will challenge another Taipei pair, Pei Shan Hsieh and En-Tzu Hung. In the singles draw, Malvika Bansod is scheduled to face Singapore’s Jia Min Yeo.

The mixed doubles event sees India fielding three pairs—Rohan Kapoor with Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Dhruv Kapila with Tanisha, and Sathish Karunakaran with Aadya Variyath—all eager to make their mark.

Despite the soaring achievements in recent years, including major titles by Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth, and Sindhu herself, the coveted All England crown remains out of reach. Historically, Indian badminton has tasted glory on this stage only twice—Prakash Padukone’s landmark win in 1980 and Pullela Gopichand’s triumph in 2001. Since then, the prestigious title has slipped away, even as players like Saina Nehwal and Lakshya Sen came agonisingly close with runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2022, respectively, and Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand reached the semifinals in consecutive editions.

For India, the All England Championships is more than just a tournament. It is the ultimate test, a symbol of excellence in a sport where Olympic and World Championship successes often steal the limelight. With the team confronting a season of adversity both on and off the court, Birmingham represents a crucial opportunity to rewrite history.