Players Arena
Badiwars 2026 Rankings
The race for No.1 is heating up.
Men's Singles
Suryansh Jaiswal (MindTickle) remains atop the Men's Singles rankings. A semifinal finish at the Leo Corporate Open 2026 has narrowed the gap, but the No. 1 spot is still his to lose.
TOP GAINER - NITENDRA DHAKER ⬆️ 17
TOP LOSER - DIKSHITH BR ⬇️ 2
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - SANKET DK 👉 RANK 36
The chase is over. The battle begins.
Women's Singles
For the first time this season, Shatakshi is no longer alone at the top. Mahalakshmi has caught up in the rankings, and Prerana's Leo Corporate Open 2026 title has tightened the race even further. Every point will matter from here on.
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - PRERANA 👉 RANK 3
TOP LOSER - SANCHITA YADAV ⬇️ 2
Revenge served in style
Men's Doubles
After falling to Gaurav and Parikshith in the HSWC Corporate Challenge final, Amarnath and Shafi got their revenge at the Leo Corporate Open, defeating their rivals in the championship match. Combined with back-to-back titles, their response has been emphatic, reinforcing their position at the top of the Men's Doubles rankings.
TOP GAINER - GAURAV AJILA & PARIKSHITH SHETTY ⬆️ 1
TOP LOSER - NITENDRA DHAKER & KRISHNENDU DANDAPAT ⬇️ 3
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - NAVEEN KUMAR & CHANDAN MC 👉 RANK 9
Unbeatable Duo
Women's Doubles
Another title. Another statement. Shruthi Raveendran and Sameena Ajeeth emerge victorious at the Leo Corporate Open 2026, strengthening their position at the top of the Women's Doubles rankings.
TOP GAINER - MANISHA SHETTY & SONAL JENA ⬆️ 1
TOP LOSERS - DHANYA NAIR & SONAL JENA ⬇️ 1
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - KRITI YADAV & JASPREET KAUR 👉 RANK 8
A two horse race
Mixed Doubles
Four tournaments. Two dominant pairs. Shruthi & Vivek claimed the opening two titles, while Amar & Uzma answered with victories at the Powerplay Open and Leo Corporate Open. With two titles apiece, the Mixed Doubles crown is shaping up to be a season-long battle between the division's standout pairs.
TOP GAINERS - AMARNATH BANSETHI & UZMA FATIMA ⬆️ 1
TOP LOSERS - ROHIT RAJAN & SHATAKSHI SHREE ⬇️ 2
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - PRASHANTH HIPPARGI & ADITI SHANKAR 👉 RANK 17
Back-to-back and coming for No. 1.
35- Men's Singles
Two tournaments. Two titles. Naveen Kumar's victory over Sharath Prakash at Leo Corporate Open makes him the first back-to-back champion in 35+ Singles history. The title race is far from over, but momentum is firmly on his side.
TOP GAINER - PUSHPARAJ CB ⬆️ 5
TOP LOSER - RAMANARAJAN B ⬇️ 2
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - SANKET DK 👉 RANK 19
The kings of clutch.
35+ Men's Doubles
Ritwik Venkatesh and Sudhip Mohan continue to rule the 35+ Men's Doubles division. Three finals. Three three-set battles. Three victories. Time and again they have been pushed to the limit, yet nobody has found a way to stop the defending champions.
TOP GAINERS - SREERAM MUTHURAMAN & SHARATH PRAKASH ⬆️ 4
TOP LOSERS - PUSHPARAJ CB & HITESH B ⬇️ 1
HIGHEST NEW ENTRY - VISHAL BHANSALI & SANDEEP MULEY 👉 RANK 18
Badiwars Season 4 Breakdown
Rivalries at Badiwars
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Alpesh Goyal ( Qualcomm ) vs Nikhil Jhamb (Accenture)
Seven turns LUCKY for NikhilHead to Head : Alpesh Goyal leads 6-1
Category: 35+ Men's Singles
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Uzma Fatima / Amarnath Bansethi vs Shruthi Raveendran / Vivek Kumar
When Partners turn rivalsCategory: Mixed Doubles
Number of meetings : 4
Uzma / Amar lead 3-1
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Sameena Ajeeth/ Shruthi Raveendran vs Uzma Fatima/ Tejasvi B
Who's going to win the Finals?Category: Women's Doubles
Head to Head : 4
Standing: 2-2
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Govardhan Shenoy/ Sukhesh Shenoy vs Harsha Kumar/ Dipanjan Saha
Friends off court to rivals on itCategory: Men's Doubles
Head to Head : Govardhan / Sukhesh lead 3-1
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Clash of Generations: Amiya Behera vs Nitendra Dhaker
What makes this rivalry uniqueCategory: Men's Singles
Head to Head standing: Nitendra leads 2-1
One Tournament wonders
The Three Set Masters
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Sidarth Saikumar (Signify)
Read the full 3-set breakdownMS | Played - 7 | W - 6 | Win rate - 85.7%
When matches go to 3 sets, Sidarth doesn’t just win — he ends careers.
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Suhas Naidu (Morgan Stanley)
Read about the zen master🏸 3-Set Win Rate: 87.5% 🔥
Men’s Singles (Open MS)
P: 4 | W: 3 | L: 1 | Win Rate: 75.0%
35+ Men’s Singles
P: 4 | W: 4 | L: 0 | Win Rate: 100%
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The Smiling Assasin: Amiya Behera (Gallagher)
Amiya's method to madnessOverall
3 Set Matches played : 9 | W: 7 | L : 2
Win rate : 78 %
35+ Men's Singles
Played 7 | W 6 | Win rate - 86%
Best Matches of the season
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“Seeded Clash. Decider Drama.”
Category: Men’s Doubles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Cup
Round: Semifinals
Match: Shashank Kumar & Ankit Semwal (Cognizant) vs Krishnendu Dandapat (IISC) & Nitendra Dhaker (Circle Chess)
Result: Shashank Kumar & Ankit Semwal def Krishnendu Dandapat & Nitendra Dhaker 21-19 17-21 21-17
ANALYSIS:
A battle between the 5th and 6th seeds that played out like a final. Both pairs traded momentum, fought through long rallies, and refused to give away cheap points. With everything tied, Shashank and Ankit raised their level in the decider and closed it under serious pressure.
CLOSING LINE:
Shashank & Ankit didn’t survive the semifinal — they conquered it.
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“Two Hungry Pairs. One Historic Finish.”
Category: Men’s Doubles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Championship
Round: Finals
Match: Hareen Talluri & Amarnath Bansethi vs Shaik Shafi & Bharadwaj Chowdary
Result: Hareen Talluri & Amarnath Bansethi def Shaik Shafi & Bharadwaj Chowdary 21-18 18-21 21-19
ANALYSIS:
A finals clash between the 3rd and 4th seeds, with history waiting on both sides — neither pair had ever won a Men’s Doubles title at Badiwars. After splitting the first two games, it came down to nerve and execution. Hareen and Amarnath held firm and finished champions.
CLOSING LINE:
Hareen & Amarnath didn’t just win a final — they won their first Badiwars legacy moment.
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Tejasvi B — “Partners in Doubles. Rivals in Glory.”
Category: Women’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Cup
Round: Finals
Match: Tejasvi B (Titan) vs Uzma Fatima (Target)
Result: Tejasvi B def Uzma Fatima 20-21 21-20 21-13
ANALYSIS:
Doubles partners turned into fierce singles rivals in a final that felt like a chess match of nerves. Uzma edged the first, but Tejasvi refused to break, stole the second by a point, and dominated the decider with ruthless control. A true championship comeback.
Closing Line: Tejasvi didn’t just win the title — she won the battle of partners.
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Garima Pandey — “Seed #1. Tested. Proven. Delivered.”
Category: Women’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Fest
Round: Finals
Match: Garima Pandey (Visa) vs Gincy George (GE Healthcare)
Result: Garima Pandey def Gincy George 17-21 21-14 21-14
ANALYSIS:
Veteran Gincy came out fearless and stole the first set, pushing Garima to the edge. But the top seed showed why she’s #1 — shifting gears with sharper rallies, better placement, and calm finishing under pressure. A final where experience met composure.
Closing Line : Garima didn’t survive the scare — she owned it.
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The “Comeback Champion” Semi
Tournament: Insportz Open
Round: Semifinals
Match: Dipanjan Saha (SAP) vs Shaik Shafi (IQVIA)
Result: Dipanjan def Shafi 16-21 21-13 21-13
ANALYSIS :
Shafi struck first and looked in control, but Dipanjan adjusted immediately — better shot selection, better rally construction. Two identical 21-13 games show dominance. Not just a comeback win, but a tactical takeover under semifinal pressure.
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The Statement Win Against a rising star
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Championship
Round: Quarterfinals
Match: Vivek Kumar (Brigade Group) vs Nitendra Dhaker (Circle Chess)
Result: Vivek def Nitendra 20-21 21-19 21-14
ANALYSIS :
Nitendra nearly closed it in the first, but Vivek’s recovery was elite. Winning the second 21-19 crushed Nitendra’s momentum. Vivek’s decider was clinical — smart placement and fewer errors. One of the cleanest comeback wins of the season.
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Harsha Kumar (LSEG) vs Krishnendu Dandapat (IISC)
Tournament: Monsoon Corporate Open
Round: Quarterfinals
Result: Harsha def Krishnendu 21-13 20-21 21-18
ANALYSIS:
Krishnendu pushed Harsha into deep waters, but Harsha’s finishing ability separated him.
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Sidarth Saikumar (Signify) vs Shashank Kumar (Cognizant)
Tournament: Valentine’s Corporate Challenge
Round: Round of 16
Result: Sidarth def Shashank 21-16 20-21 21-20
ANALYSIS:
Ridiculous clutch win. 21-20 in the third shows Sidarth survived by a thread.
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The Season’s Most Underrated Thriller
Tournament: Monsoon Corporate Open
Round: Round of 32
Match: Suhas Naidu (Morgan Stanley) vs Nikhil Jhamb (Accenture)
Result: Suhas def Nikhil 16-21 21-9 21-20
ANALYSIS:
Nikhil shocked Suhas by taking the first game, forcing a real fight early in the tournament. Suhas roared back in game two, but the third went to the wire at 21-20. A near-upset that exposed just how dangerous early rounds can be.
Upsets of the Season
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Rajat Singh & Abhijot Singh — “Unseeded. Unstoppable. Unbelievable.”
Category: Men’s Doubles
Tournament: Monsoon Corporate Open
Round: Quarterfinals
Match: Rajat Singh & Abhijot Singh (Dell) vs Hareen Talluri (ICICI Bank) & Amarnath Bansethi (Rockwell Automation)
Result: Rajat Singh & Abhijot Singh def Hareen Talluri & Amarnath Bansethi 18-21 21-17 21-16
Analysis:
An unseeded Dell pair walked into a quarterfinal against the 3rd seeds — and walked out with the season’s biggest shock. After losing the first game, Rajat and Abhijot stayed fearless, matched the favorites rally for rally, and edged the decider to flip the bracket wide open.
Closing Line:
Rajat & Abhijot didn’t just beat the 3rd seeds — they announced a new threat in Men’s Doubles.
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Tony Alex — “The Longest War”
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Rajyotsava Cup
Round: Round of 16
Match: Tony Alex (Trident Automation) vs Dipanjan Saha (SAP)
Result: Tony Alex def Dipanjan Saha 21-19 19-21 25-24
Analysis:
Possibly one of the longest matches in Badiwars history. Dipanjan, a former West Bengal state champion and all-time top 5 Shuttleboi player, was pushed into a 78-minute war by veteran Tony. Match points saved, leads lost, nerves tested — until one net shot sealed it.
Tony Alex didn’t just win a match — he outlasted a legend.
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The Shockwave Result 🙀🏸🔥
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Rajyotsava Cup
Round: Quarterfinals
Match: Suhas Naidu (Morgan Stanley) vs Govardhan Shenoy (SAP)
Result: Suhas Naidu def Govardhan Shenoy 21-19 14-21 21-19
Analysis:
Govardhan, arguably the greatest Badiwars player ever, was expected to cruise. But Suhas, the underdog masters campaigner, refused to back down. After dropping the second set heavily, he regrouped and stole the decider 21-19. A rare moment where the king was made vulnerable.
Suhas Naidu just proved even giants bleed in a decider.
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The Giant-Killer Debut 🥉
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Fest
Round: Round of 16
Match: MD Taj Nawaz (TCS) vs Tony Alex (Trident Automation)
Result: MD Taj Nawaz def Tony Alex 17-21 21-18 21-16
Analysis:
First tournament. Travelled all the way from Hyderabad. And he takes down Tony Alex — a national-level masters player and a multiple-time Badiwars champion. Taj lost the opener but played fearless badminton in the next two. A debut upset that instantly turned heads across the circuit.
MD Taj Nawaz arrived as a newcomer — and left as a name everyone remembers.
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Nitendra Dhaker — “Fearless Over Pedigree”
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Championship
Round: Round of 16
Match: Nitendra Dhaker (Circle Chess) vs Nikhil Ramesh (Baxter)
Result: Nitendra Dhaker def Nikhil Ramesh 21-14 15-21 21-15
Analysis:
Nikhil Ramesh entered as a proven former professional, with multiple Badiwars titles in 35+ Men’s Singles. But Nitendra matched the tempo and stayed aggressive when rallies tightened. The decider became a battle of nerve, and Nitendra closed it with confidence.
Nitendra Dhaker didn’t respect the résumé — he respected the moment.
Best Debuts
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Jignas Kumar Cherlapalli — “No Trailer. Straight Blockbuster.”
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Valentine’s Corporate Challenge
Finish: Quarterfinals
Match Results:
Round of 32: Jignas Kumar Cherlapalli (HCL) def Sharath Prakash (ANZ) 21-11 18-21 21-12
Round of 16: Jignas Kumar Cherlapalli (HCL) def Vivek Kumar (Brigade Group) 21-20 21-16
Quarterfinals: Nitendra Dhaker (Circle Chess) def Jignas Kumar Cherlapalli (HCL) 21-15 21-15
Analysis:
No build-up. No warm-up. Just impact. In his very first Badiwars outing, Jignas survived a tough 3-set opener against Sharath Prakash, then dropped the biggest bombshell of the tournament by eliminating fifth seed Vivek Kumar. That 21-20 first set wasn’t luck — it was clutch temperament. His run ended in the quarterfinals, but the storyline was already written: a debutant walked in and shook the bracket like a seasoned contender.
Closing Line: Jignas didn’t need a second tournament to get noticed — one was enough.
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MD Taj Nawaz — “Straight Outta Hyderabad.”
Category: Men’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Fest
Round: Round of 32 → Quarterfinals
Match Results:
Round of 32: MD Taj Nawaz (TCS) def Shashank Kumar (Cognizant) 20-8 20-21 21-14
Round of 16: MD Taj Nawaz (TCS) def Tony Alex (Trident Automation) 17-21 21-18 21-16
Quarterfinals: Govardhan Shenoy (SAP) def MD Taj Nawaz (TCS) 21-11 21-20
Analysis:
Straight outta Hyderabad and straight into the spotlight. In his very first Badiwars outing, Taj Nawaz didn’t just compete — he shook the bracket. After surviving a gritty 3-set opener against Shashank Kumar, he pulled off a debut stunner by knocking out Tony Alex, a national-level masters veteran and multiple-time Badiwars champion. Even in defeat, he pushed Govardhan Shenoy, the season Rank 4, right till the finish line. For a debutant, this was fearless badminton, sharp temperament, and instant credibility.
Closing Line: MD Taj Nawaz didn’t just travel to Badiwars — he announced himself.
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Monika Singh — “Straight to the Throne.”
Category: Women’s Singles
Tournament: Mixed Corporate Championship
Round: Round of 8 → Champion
Match Results:
Round of 8: Monika Singh (NTT Data) def Sakshi Nautiyal (GSK) 21-11 21-12
Semifinals: Monika Singh (NTT Data) def Krithika M Pai (Fidelity Investments) 21-14 21-11
Finals: Monika Singh (NTT Data) def Mayuri Kharde (Allen Digital) 21-15 21-14
Analysis:
Some players take seasons to settle in. Monika Singh needed just one tournament to take over. In her debut run at the Mixed Corporate Championship — one of the strongest brackets of the year — she cut through the draw like a title favourite. After a composed Round of 8 win, she handled Krithika M Pai with calm control, then stepped into the finals and dismantled Mayuri Kharde, the season Rank 3, without dropping a set. No nervous debut energy. No survival mode. Just a straight march to gold.
Closing Line: Monika Singh didn’t enter Badiwars 4.0 — she claimed her seat at the top.
Most Improved Players
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Shaik Shafi — “From Silent to Savage.”
Season wise performance data
Badiwars 3.0
- Season Rank: 14
- Podiums: 0
- Highest Finish: Quarterfinals (once)
Badiwars 4.0
- Season Rank: 3
- Titles: 1
- Runner-up: 1
- Semifinals: 3
- Total Podiums: 5
Analysis
Men’s Singles is the toughest cage fight in Badiwars — the category where reputations get crushed fast.
And in that chaos, Shaik Shafi pulled off the cleanest transformation arc of the season. From barely making one Quarterfinal in Season 3, he returned in Season 4 like a completely different player — sharper, hungrier, and fearless in big moments. Five podiums later, he didn’t just climb the ranks… he became a name people started avoiding in the draw.
Closing Line
Season 3 he survived. Season 4 he hunted.
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Rahul Raghavan — “From ‘Almost’ to Automatic.”
Season wise performance data
Badiwars 3.0
- Season Rank: 12
- Podiums: 0
- Highest Finish: Quarterfinals (once)
Badiwars 4.0
- Season Rank: 3
- Titles: 2
- Runner-up: 1
- Total Podiums: 3
Analysis
Rahul Raghavan delivered one of the most decisive transformations in the 35+ Men’s Singles division. After Season 3 ended with just one Quarterfinal finish and no podiums, Season 4 saw him explode into the top tier with three podium finishes, including two tournament titles and one runner-up. That kind of jump isn’t just improvement — it’s dominance. Rahul didn’t just start winning matches… he started finishing tournaments.
Closing Line
In just a season Rahul went from “Who’s that?” to “That’s him.”
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Karthik Eeswaran — “Don’t Fear the Loud. Fear the Quiet.”
Season wise performance data
Badiwars 3.0
- Season Rank: 15
- Podium: Zero
- Highest Finish: Quarterfinals (once)
Badiwars 4.0
- Season Rank: 8
- Highest Finish: Semifinals (twice)
- Quarterfinals: 2
Analysis
Karthik Eeswaran doesn’t walk in with noise. No hype. No drama. No big presence.
But Season 4 proved something brutal — the most dangerous players aren’t always the ones who are loud and built like athletes… it’s the ones who quietly win sans any drama.
It’s always the underestimated ones who become your biggest nightmare — and Karthik Eeswaran proved it this season. From a Season 3 campaign with just one Quarterfinal finish, he levelled up into a deep-run specialist in Season 4, reaching the Semifinals twice and making four knockout-stage appearances overall. That’s not luck — that’s growth, discipline, and cold execution.
Closing Line
In just a season, Karthik Eeswaran went from overlooked… to unavoidable.
Beyond the Game - Stories from the circuit
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Rewiring the Game
After surgery, setbacks, and years away from the spotlight, Sreeram Muthuraman returns to the court — competing, adapting, and qualifying for the Badiwars Season Finals as the circuit’s only para-badminton...
Rewiring the Game
After surgery, setbacks, and years away from the spotlight, Sreeram Muthuraman returns to the court — competing, adapting, and qualifying for the Badiwars Season Finals as the circuit’s only para-badminton...
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Between deadlines and dropshots... the art of b...
A story about balancing a demanding career, competitive badminton, and the discipline of fitness — and how the pursuit of improvement connects them all.
Between deadlines and dropshots... the art of b...
A story about balancing a demanding career, competitive badminton, and the discipline of fitness — and how the pursuit of improvement connects them all.
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🏸❤️ Game, Crush and Match
From cement courts and night escapes to college tournaments and unexpected connections, this is a story about how badminton quietly shaped choices, memories, and moments that stayed.
🏸❤️ Game, Crush and Match
From cement courts and night escapes to college tournaments and unexpected connections, this is a story about how badminton quietly shaped choices, memories, and moments that stayed.
