Speak to Ayush Shetty about badminton for five minutes, and the name Viktor Axelsen will inevitably drop. The 20-year-old from Karkala is an ardent fan of the Danish Olympic champion.
As a youngster, Ayush gravitated toward the raw explosiveness and lightning speed of Lee Chong Wei. Predictably, he was never a member of Team Lin Dan. However, as he matured and his frame began to stretch toward the ceiling, he found a new hero. He realised that for a man of his stature, the blueprint for greatness lay elsewhere.
The comparisons to the Great Dane are not merely based on height. A couple of 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, Ayush possesses a menacing smash and a reach that makes the court look small.
If Viktor, currently sidelined by a back injury, had tuned in to watch the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo last week, he would have seen more than just a fan. He would have seen a throwback to his own rise.
At the start of the year, Vimal Kumar set a clear, daunting target: he wanted the explosive shuttler to break into the world’s top 15 by the end of the season. It was a bold punt, but it wasn’t without evidence. The decorated coach had seen what the rest of the world finally witnessed in Ningbo: a world-beater in the making.
The road to China, however, was paved with frustration. Having recovered from a back injury of his own, Ayush needed time to find his rhythm. Early exits at the Malaysia and Indonesia Opens could have dented the confidence of a lesser player, but Ayush remained steady.
A GIANT-SLAYING RUN
In Ningbo, he finally played with the exuberance of a man whose body was finally listening to his commands – a spark that had been missing in the early months of 2026.
By Sunday, Ayush stood one step away from history, nearly becoming the first Indian man since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to conquer the Asian Championships. His path to the final was a trail of destruction. Ranked 25th in the world, he first outclassed World No. 7 Li Shi Feng before taking down World No. 4 Jonatan Christie.
The semi-final against World No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn was the moment he truly arrived. After being brushed aside in the opening game, Ayush scripted a sensational comeback to win 10-21, 21-19, 21-17 in a gruelling 75-minute marathon.
The final against World No. 2 Shi Yu Qi, however, served as a brutal “tuition fee” paid to the world’s elite. In front of a partisan Chinese crowd, Ayush appeared momentarily overwhelmed by the occasion. Barring a brief resistance in the second game, he was outclassed by the 30-year-old Shi, one of the most clinical campaigners on the tour. The match was over in 42 minutes, ending 8-21, 10-21.
Vimal Kumar believes such a hammering is exactly what Ayush needs to bridge the gap.
“Ayush came up against a top-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 tempo and denied Ayush the rhythm he thrives on. By keeping the shuttle slightly off the ideal hitting zone, he prevented Ayush from unleashing those steep attacking smashes and sharp net tumbles. It was a tactical masterclass executed with great precision.”
PATIENCE, ART OF CONSTRUCTION
Standing at 6ft 4in, Ayush hits a smash with as much “sting” as anyone on the circuit, whether down-the-line or cross-court. He has spent the last year working tirelessly on his defensive shell, yet Vimal insists that the next step is psychological: the art of patience.
“The gaps are clear: better shot variation, improved rally construction, and smarter point building,” Vimal noted. “The intent to attack was there, but at this level, attack needs to be constructed, not forced. There was perhaps an over-reliance on pace without enough variation in angles and height. Smashes must find the lines or create clear advantages. That precision was missing.”
The final was a reminder of how quickly the tide turns at the summit. Ayush led 7-3 in the second game, but once Shi caught up, the Chinese star sprinted to the finish line, leaving the Indian prodigy with only three more points.
Despite the Sunday disappointment, the optimism remains high.
“Ayush has already shown he belongs at this level,” Vimal said.
This is a young player learning fast and steadily closing the gap. This is where the real journey begins.”
Ayush is fortunate to have a support system that understands his unique physical challenges. He has an idol who once faced similar hurdles and a coaching staff at the Centre for Excellence in Bengaluru (formerly the Prakash Padukone Academy) that is refining his raw power. Under the guidance of Vimal and head coach Sagar Chopda, the skyscraper is learning how to move.
Interestingly, Ayush has also begun training alongside PV Sindhu and Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama. Irwansyah, the man who helped shape superstars like Anthony Ginting, brings an Indonesian flavour to Ayush’s training, focusing on the very net-play and movement that the youngster admitted he lacked back in January.
“I think my biggest strength would be smashes. I have a lot of room for improvement,” Ayush said earlier this year.
“The front-court movements, the speed. Viktor, you can see, has a good defence, he can play long rallies. So, I think I need to work on that, for that I need to work on my physical strength. Yeah, there is a lot of scope for improvement.”
With a stable of idols he is no longer just fanboying, but actively deconstructing, 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 is impossible to miss.
– Ends
