India’s Ayush Shetty is beginning to believe he can match the world’s best after a breakthrough week at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026, where the 20-year-old finished with a silver medal.
The Indian badminton player, who beat top-ranked opponents en route to the final in Ningbo, fell to the People’s Republic of China’s Shi Yuqi in the title clash but used the loss to reflect on gaps in his game.
In an interview after the tournament, Shetty spoke about his evolving mindset, the impact of working with a psychologist and a new coaching setup, and the adjustments he feels are needed to compete consistently at the highest level in badminton.
Q: Your smashes and attacking intent stood out during the tournament but in the final, your opponent forced you into longer rallies. Do you think your transition from attack to defence is an area that needs to be addressed?
Ayush Shetty: In the final, (Shi Yuqi) kept his lengths perfect and didn’t give me a chance to dominate at the net. So I could not create a good attacking chance. So that is something I need to work upon and be more patient and play longer rallies.
Q: You played a very good semi-final against Kunlavut Vitidsarn (of Thailand) and staged a comeback in the second game. A similar pattern was going on with Shi Yuqi. So what worked for you in the semi-finals and what did not work for you in the final?
Ayush Shetty: It was a similar pattern. I had a good lead against Shi Yuqi but against Kunlavut Vitidsarn, I was prepared to play the longer rallies. I was more patient in that match.
With Shi Yuqi, I was prepared but as I gave him a bit of a chance to get back in the game, that allowed him to regain his confidence. I became a bit impatient over there and went for some quick, easy points. That’s when the game changed.
Q: How has your mindset evolved in recent times?
Ayush Shetty: I always wanted to be one of the best players in the world. That was always my dream and it still is. Back then, I did not believe it as much as I do now. Over the period of time, I really started believing and I have to put in the work. I’m really working hard on that.
Q: You have defeated high-ranked opponents and some really big names in your career so far. So, from where does this big-match temperament, these nerves, that ability to handle the clutch moments come from?
Ayush Shetty: Last year, I won against a few top players and that played an important role. It gave me confidence that I can play the best players in the world. It’s always fun playing against the top players. That helps me give my best.
Q: How is the training with Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama coming about? We all saw PV Sindhu‘s social media post for you. Has he been talking to you about your game? And how helpful has this training group been, the new training group?
Ayush Shetty: It’s just been two weeks since I have started training with him. But with Irwansyah, the sessions are a bit longer than before. I’m spending a lot more time on court.
I have not been training more physically since I had this Asian Championship around but it’s a bit longer and tougher sessions.
Also, I was really happy when Sindhu put up a post saying good things about me. I’ve been training alongside Sindhu as well. We came here together and we were sparring.
Q: When you look back at the tournament and the run that you’ve had, how do you reflect on the outcome of it? How do you prepare yourself for situations like the final that you faced, where, for lack of a better word, you seemed outmatched in those moments?
Ayush Shetty: It was a tough loss. I wanted to end on a high note but again, it’s a great learning curve for me. The way Shi Yuqi played. He was really smart, he did not give me any chance. He did not allow me to come back in the game. Looking back at this tournament, I’m proud of the way I played throughout the tournament. It’s a good lesson for me in the final.
Q: Anything you could do differently going forward? Just perhaps something you might have picked on yourself?
Ayush Shetty: One thing would be the physical side. I have to be a lot stronger if I want to consistently be among the best players in the world. That is something I need to work on.
Q: This season, there were some visible moments of frustration on the court, especially during the Swiss Open. But this week, your composure looked very different. Can you talk about how working with a psychologist has influenced your mental approach and helped you stay more composed on court?
Ayush Shetty: It was a tough European tour for me. Working with a psychologist played a really important role coming into this tournament. To keep my confidence high, even though losing early rounds, believing in myself, that was really important for me.
Q: How advantageous is your height or are there any disadvantages you are feeling with your height?
Ayush Shetty: When I’m playing on the right side of the court, I can get those angles and I can hit really steep. There are some flaws as well. It’s not easy to be very low on the court. I have to be really strong on my legs.
Q: You have trained with Viktor Axelsen (of Denmark) in Dubai. What was your interaction with him regarding how to tackle injuries, height and all these things?
Ayush Shetty: Viktor is really strong and he’s really low and he has a really great defence. It was really surprising. He can do all those things with that height. So that is something I picked up on. I have to be like that if I want to play at the very best.
Q: You started playing at a very young age with your father. At that point of time, Indian badminton was on a high. Did you have a role model at that point of time from Indian badminton?
Ayush Shetty: Lee Chong Wei (of Malaysia) was my first role model. I used to like his game and watched most of his matches. The favourite Indian player is Kidambi Srikanth.
Q: Do you have any set targets for this season?
Ayush Shetty: We are targeting the BWF World Championships, which is the primary focus. We are preparing for the Asian Games.
Q: Ayush, if you had to pick your favourite win of the top scalps that you’ve taken this week, which one would it be? I mean, irrespective of the ranking.
Ayush Shetty: This week, definitely the match with Kunlavut.
Q: And your biggest win overall?
Ayush Shetty: The US Open 2025 semi-final against Chou Tien-chen (of Chinese Taipei). Also, the match with Kodai Naraoka (of Japan) at the Australian Open.
Q: What have you learned this week? What is the one takeaway that you realised about yourself, your game or your personality?
Ayush Shetty: This week, I was more aggressive; usually, I’m not. I was really aggressive, showing how much I really wanted to win all the matches. I’m really happy with the way I showed aggression on the court this week.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/ayush-shetty-badminton-asia-championships-2026-interview
