Archive · 16 Jan 2026
India needs structured international exposure to improve badminton doubles: Vimal Kumar
Vimal Kumar, a former national team coach, says India needs to focus more on improving its badminton doubles standards.
He suggests that India should host bilateral series and Test matches against countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia to give young players more international exposure.
Kumar believes that playing team events will help youngsters improve under pressure.
He also thinks that India should invest more in supporting players who are not at the top level but are competing regularly on the BWF World Tour.
Kumar is impressed with the performance of young players like Tanvi Sharma and believes that with the right support and patience, India can nurture more talent.
India needs to focus on improving its badminton doubles standards, including men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles.
Former national team coach Vimal Kumar suggests hosting bilateral series and Test matches against leading badminton nations to provide international exposure to young players.
Kumar proposes forming a small circuit with nearby countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia to host team events and improve youngsters' performance under pressure.
India should invest more in supporting players competing regularly on the BWF World Tour, not just the top players.
Kumar is impressed with the performance of young players like Tanvi Sharma and believes that with the right support and patience, India can nurture more talent.
- Who
- Vimal Kumar, former national team coach and Dronacharya awardee
- What
- India needs to improve its badminton doubles standards and provide more international exposure to young players
- When
- January 16, 2024
- Where
- New Delhi, India
- Why
- To achieve sustained success at the elite level and bridge the gap between top players and those competing regularly on the BWF World Tour
- Expert
- Vimal Kumar
- Current Focus
- Men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles
- Proposed Solution
- Host bilateral series and Test matches against leading badminton nations
- Key Players
- Tanisha, Dhruv Kapila, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty
- Suggested Countries
- Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia
- Current Support
- Comprehensive support to top players
- Needed Support
- Investment in 300-level events and Challenge tournaments
- Young Talent
- Tanvi Sharma
