Talk to Ayush Shetty about badminton for five minutes and Viktor Axelsen’s name will inevitably come up. The 20-year-old native of Karkala is an ardent fan of the Danish Olympic champion.
As a youngster, Ayush gravitated towards the raw explosiveness and lightning speed of Lee Chong Wei. Predictably, he was never a member of Lin Dan’s team. However, as he matured and his frame began to stretch toward the ceiling, he found a new hero. He realized that for a man his size, the plane of greatness lay elsewhere.
The comparison to the Great Dane is not just based on height. A few years ago, when Ayush had the opportunity to train alongside Axelsen in Dubai, the Danish legend told coach Vimal Kumar that the Indian teenager reminded him of his younger self. The resemblance is striking. At 6ft 4in tall, Ayush has a menacing smash and reach that makes the court look small.
If Viktor, currently sidelined with a back injury, tuned in to the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo last week, he would have seen more than just a fan. He would see a return to his own rise.
At the beginning of the year, Vimal Kumar set himself a clear and daunting goal: he wanted the explosive shuttler to break into the top 15 in the world by the end of the season. It was a bold point, but it was not without evidence. The decorated carriage saw what the rest of the world finally witnessed in Ningbo: a world-breaker in the making.
However, the road to China was paved with frustration. After recovering from his own back injury, Ayush needed time to find his rhythm. Early exits at the Malaysia and Indonesia Opens might have dented the confidence of the smaller player, but Ayush remained steady.
RUN TO KILL GIANTS
In Ningbo, he finally played with the licentiousness of a man whose body finally obeyed his commands—a spark that had been missing in the early months of 2026.
On Sunday, Ayush stood one step away from history and almost became the first Indian since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to capture the Asian Championship. His path to the finals was a path of destruction. The world number 25 first outclassed world number seven Li Shi Feng before downing world number four Jonatan Christie.
The semi-final against world number one Kunlavut Vitidsarn was when he really arrived. After being swept aside in the opening game, Ayush staged a sensational comeback to win 10-21, 21-19, 21-17 in a grueling 75-minute marathon.
However, the final against world number two Shi Yu Qi served as brutal “schooling” paid to the world’s elite. In front of the guerilla Chinese crowd, Ayush seemed momentarily overwhelmed by the occasion. Except for a brief resistance in the second game, he was outplayed by the 30-year-old Shi, one of the most clinical fighters on tour. The match was over in 42 minutes and finished 8-21, 10-21.
Vimal Kumar believes that kind of hammering is just what Ayush needs to bridge the gap.
“Ayush faced a high quality opponent today in Shi Yu Qi and the match clearly showed the difference that experience, control and tactical discipline can make,” Vimal Kumar told IndiaToday.in.
“Shi was extremely well prepared. He controlled the pace and denied Ayush the rhythm he thrives on. By keeping the shuttle slightly outside the ideal strike zone, he prevented Ayush from unleashing those steep attacking smashes and sharp net drops. It was a tactical masterclass executed with great precision.”
PATIENCE, BUILDING ART
At 6ft 4in, Ayush hits a smash with as much “sting” as anyone on the circuit, whether down the line or across the field. He has spent the last year working tirelessly on his defensive shell, but Vimal insists the next step is psychological: the art of patience.
“The gaps are clear: better shot variation, improved rally construction and smarter point building,” noted Vimal. “The intent to attack was there, but at this level the attack needs to be constructed, not forced. Maybe there was too much reliance on pace without enough variation in angles and height. Smech has to find lines or create clear advantages. That precision was missing.”
The final was a reminder of how quickly the tide turns at the top. Ayush led 7-3 in the second game, but once Shi caught up, the Chinese star sprinted to finish, leaving the Indian prodigy with just three points to spare.
Despite Sunday’s disappointment, optimism remains high.
“Ayush has already shown that he belongs at this level,” said Vimal.
This is a young player who learns quickly and constantly closes the gap. This is where the real journey begins.”
Ayush is lucky to have a support system that understands his unique physical challenges. He has an idol who once faced similar obstacles and a coaching team at the Bengaluru Center of Excellence (formerly the Prakash Padukone Academy) to refine his raw power. Under the guidance of Vimal and head trainer Sagar Chopda, the skyscraper learns how to move.
Interestingly, Ayush also started training alongside PV Sindhu and Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratam. Irwansyah, the man who helped shape superstars such as Anthony Ginting, brings an Indonesian flavor to Ayush’s training, focusing on the sheer play over the net and movement, which the youngster admitted in January was lacking.
“I think my biggest strength would be smashes. I have a lot of room for improvement,” Ayush said earlier this year.
“The movements in the front of the court, the speed. Viktor, as you can see, he has good defense, he can play long rallies. So I think I have to work on that, I have to work on my physical strength for that. Yeah, there is a lot of room for improvement.”
With a stable of idols he no longer fanboys but actively deconstructs, and a support system that understands the unique physics of his frame, Ayush is undeniably on the right track. The miracle didn’t happen on Sunday, but the arrival certainly did – and at 6ft 4in, Ayush Shetty can’t be missed.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
13 Apr 2026 10:21 IST
