Indian shuttlers will look to put the disappointment of a poor start to the season behind them when the Badminton Asia Championships get underway on Wednesday in Ningbo, China. But the question remains: do the struggling PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and HS Prannoy have what it takes to deliver the desired results? There is a sense of despair surrounding Indian badminton, with the much-loved sport struggling to produce champions. The last time Indian shuttlers won BWF World Tour titles was in November 2024, when Sindhu ended her two-year title drought and Lakshya clinched the men’s singles crown. However, the situation has not improved since. Indian shuttlers' performance in 2025 has been marked by a string of poor outings, with star shuttler Sindhu unable to overcome the first-round hurdle in her last three tournaments. The best Sindhu could achieve this year was a quarterfinal finish at the India Open Super 750 in January, when Olympic bronze medallist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung showed her the way to exit. Prannoy, once India’s top men’s singles player just a couple of years ago, has failed to progress beyond the second round. His form has declined since the high of winning bronze medals at the World Championships and the Asian Games. A bout of chikungunya pulled him down. A prolonged recovery period forced him to stay away from the court following his disappointing group-stage exit at the Paris Olympics in 2024. The fearless game that once enthralled Indian fans now feels like a thing of the past. The only positive is that he remains confident of regaining his mojo. Lakshya is in no better form either, with his lack of confidence continuing to be his biggest foe. Since the high of the Paris Olympics, where he finished fourth despite being unseeded, his form has steadily declined. His best result this year remains a quarterfinal finish at the All England Open. In these circumstances, Indian shuttlers' chances of securing podium finishes appear bleak - unless something remarkable happens. In 2023, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty created history by becoming the first Indian shuttlers to win the Asian Championships in 58 years. They made a memorable comeback to beat Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia in the final. But this year, they will not be able to defend the title. With defending champions Satwik and Chirag - the country’s highest-ranked men’s doubles pair and also the most consistent Indians on the World Tour - forced to miss the Championships due to Satwik’s back injury, and the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand - two of the most improved players in recent times - also withdrawing from the event, India is left with only a sliver of hope of winning a medal. Steep Test In Ningbo Sindhu will open her campaign against Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo, while Prannoy faces Lu Guangzu and Lakshya takes on Chia Hao Lee in their respective first-round matches. Sindhu is not expected to face much trouble against Wardoyo, but her main challenge may come in the second round, where World No. 4 Akane Yamaguchi is likely to be her opponent. Although Sindhu holds a favourable 14-11 record against the Japanese star, Yamaguchi is no longer the same opponent she once dominated. Yamaguchi has played only one tournament this year - the All England Open - where she reached the semifinals. Lakshya, on the other hand, faces a tricky test against Chia Hao Lee, an opponent who defeated the Indian shuttler in the second round of the Swiss Open last month. Even if Lakshya overcomes the challenge, he will face another stern test, with former world champion Loh Kean Yew or World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi likely to be his quarterfinal opponent. Prannoy, meanwhile, hopes to make a good account of himself by starting with a win over Lu Guangzu of China in the first round. part from the big names, Anupama Upadhyaya and Aakarshi Kashyap in women’s singles, and Kiran George and Priyanshu Rajawat in men’s singles, will be the other Indian shuttlers in contention. It would be heartening for Indian badminton if they manage to produce some stunning performances. With Treesa and Gayatri missing the tournament, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra will be India’s lone representatives in women’s doubles at the Championships. India has also fielded four pairing in mixed doubles, but given the recent performances, their chances in this discipline appear equally slim. When and Where to Watch Badminton Asia Championships 2025? The live streaming of Badminton Asia Championships 2025 will be available to watch on SonyLiv app and website. The Sony Sports Network's TV channels will telecast the badminton matches live. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from IPL 2025,IPL Orange Cap, IPL Purple Cap, Most Sixes in IPL, Badminton, Sports and around the world.