Indian shuttler H S Prannoy declared that the team has 'cracked the code' for team events after the Indian men's badminton team claimed a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Gifu, Japan, on 24 September 2026. The side fell to China 1-3 in the semifinals but had earlier demolished hosts Japan 3-0 in the quarter-finals to secure their podium finish.

Prannoy on the Asian Games Challenge

Prannoy, who is competing in his last Asian Games, underscored the magnitude of the continental showpiece for Indian shuttlers. 'For us, the Asian Games is really a tough event; it's almost like a world championship for us, where I would say probably a couple of countries are not playing from the European side,' he said. He noted that virtually every Asian powerhouse participates, making the competition among the most demanding on the global calendar outside the World Championships and Olympics.

How India Cracked the Team-Event Formula

'We as a team have been pretty much the same core since the last four to five years, starting from the 2022 Thomas Cup. We have kind of cracked the code for the team event, especially how to conduct ourselves in the team and how to get the maximum out of the players,' Prannoy said. He credited the entire squad for willingly investing extra hours — an unusual demand for athletes accustomed to the solitary grind of individual tournaments. 'We have always been playing individual tournaments, so it was only used to being looking after yourself. But when it comes to a team event, then there is an extra hours of work that need to be done,' he added.

A Record of Consistent Team Excellence

The bronze at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 follows a silver at Hangzhou 2023, where India lost the gold medal match to China 3-2. The team's most celebrated achievement remains the 2022 Thomas Cup title — India's first in the event's history. Together, these results reflect a sustained rise over three to four years in continental and international team badminton, with consistent top-three finishes at the Asian Games and Badminton Asia Team Championships.

Women's Team Exit and What Comes Next

India's team campaign ended on a mixed note: the Indian women's badminton team bowed out in the quarter-finals after a 3-1 defeat to hosts Japan. Attention now shifts to the individual events, with the men's and women's singles and doubles draws running from 25 to 29 September. Prannoy stressed that recovery is the immediate priority. 'The next four or five days are going to be very key because competition is going to be really tight and straight from the first round. It's important to keep things simple, eat good food, probably get good recovery in the next few days, and then get ready for the individual events again,' he said.