Across the group stage matches in the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup, the only Indian to win all three of the matches they played in was a 20-year-old. Coming as it does on the back of a silver medal at the Badminton Asian Championships a fortnight ago -- India's first finalist in men's singles in the 64-year history of the tournament -- he has moved in and completely taken over the Indian badminton spotlight.
6'4", world no. 18, and oozing confidence with every stroke, Ayush Shetty isn't just the future, he's the now.
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Ayush often draws comparison to one of the GOATs of the sport, the now-retired Viktor Axelsen. It's an easy one to make -- A 6'4" athlete is, after all, a rare sight in elite badminton. Easy, but clunky, given the diametrically opposite sides of their careers; Ayush is just starting out and his silver medal run at the BAC in early April was his first real time in the Indian sporting spotlight.
The parallels, though, indicates the evident excitement surrounding him at a time where Indian men's singles badminton looks towards the younger generation.
Ayush has trained with the double Olympic gold medalist at the famous "Axelsen boot camp" in Dubai last year, were the great Dane complimented him for his game style which he found similar to his. PV Sindhu -- who Ayush recently began training with under now shared coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama -- reiterated this, calling him a "generational talent" with "pure natural ability." This kind of praise from greats of the calibre of Axelsen and Sindhu is special as it is rare for one so young, and it makes him a standout in India's next Gen.
You can easily see why they've praised him so highly. At the BAC in China, Aysuh beat three top 10 players - then world no. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, WR 4 Jonatan Christie and WR 7 Li Shi Feng - before losing to reigning world champion (and now WR 1) Shi Yu Qi in the final.
It was a run so thrilling that a day after the final, he faced about 40 Indian journalists in an online press conference - a big number for a young player who's not won a gold. His actions on the court attracted casual attention otherwise too: a stunning block at the net (of a Li Shi Feng jump smash) going viral. For a tournament not even broadcast in India, to have a clip of a badminton shot go social media viral is quite something.
Ayush, on his part, is trying to take it all in his stride. "It was an amazing week. I got good wins and was playing confidently.... after the tournament there's been a lot of interaction with the media. It's my first time with so many interactions so it's something different and new for me," he tells ESPN India.
He's now finding out just how hard the senior calendar can be... for without taking much time to process it all, to celebrate his silver even, he's on his next big assignment, the Thomas Cup in Denmark. As the India No 2, he has already shown what a big role he will play in the team championship as he plays the third match of every tie looking to either seal the win or keep the tie alive depending on how Lakshya Sen and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty fare in the first singles and doubles matches.
"I've not got much time to celebrate [the BAC silver]... We are working on the things that we thought need improvement, especially [what went wrong in] the final. Still a long way to go."
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There is indeed a way to go for Ayush but well begun is half done. Born and bought up in Karkala (a small town off Mangaluru in Karnataka), not a place known for producing many elite athletes, he's had quite the upswing via the then Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru. Ayush has been a youngster to watch out for the last few years, especially once he won a World Junior Championship medal in 2023. A couple of years later, he had his big breakthrough on the senior BWF tour with a semi-final at the 2025 Orleans Masters, and then India's first title of the season at the 2025 US Open.
Super 300 wins, though, don't capture the imagination as much as a BAC silver medal - because of the prestige attached to it, the opponents he faced and beat. The silver came at a time where Indian badminton was searching for eye-catching performances, other than from the sporadic runs of Lakshya or Satwik-Chirag, and with it he brings great hope.
This hope, though, isn't one-off, for it's based on his skill and temperament. His game style, all the Axelsen comparisons aside, is expansive and attacking. He's got a brilliant smash and develops angles on the overhead strokes while being deft at the net. His big-striking game being backed by an aggressive mindset is important to him; something Ayush said he was proud at the BAC - being able to be aggressive in big matches.
Sagar Chopda, the head coach at Centre for Badminton Excellence (formerly PPBA) who has seen his growth since he started there four and a half years ago, says Ayush has always had this winning attitude. "One of the things that was very peculiar about Ayush was he wanted to win at all costs. Even during practice sessions, whether he is even playing a recreational game or a fun activity where there is a bet involved, he would want to win. That's a good thing because that reflects in the way he plays in tournaments as well," Chopda tells ESPN India.
"Everybody's been talking about his hard smash, that is something he always had. He had an excellent net game which has only gotten better over a period. Over his last four years [at the academy], the way he has grown as an athlete is very commendable. You don't see many players can switch from junior to the senior circuit the way he has done it. Lakshya did it too."
This transition has come at a good time too, where Lakshya is the only other Indian men's singles player in the Top 30. At a career-high of world No 18, a new door has opened up for Ayush where he'll be playing the Super 750 and Super 1000s, and by extension the top players in the world. It's the right time to build on this momentum after an injury-marred start to the season.
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Consistency, Ayush knows very well, is his next big step as he admits that he is still adjusting to the BWF's highest levels. "The main goal for me would be to be consistent. To consistently play at this level that I was playing last week. I would say I've not really been consistent since the US Open title, because I've been playing the higher-level tournaments and finding it tough. But the BAC week was really good for me and gave me a lot of confidence to be more consistent and play more matches on the tour going forward."
His indifferent start to the season was mostly down to a lower back injury, which is in turn tied with his height -- also a question he gets asked all the time. In badminton, taller players have to bend more for retrievals and front-court play, and the higher centre of gravity means more strain on the lower body. The height, seen mostly as a weapon as it expands reach and range, also has its downsides. Axelsen's cause of retirement at 32 was also due to a chronic back injury.
"Growing up as a tall player, I think I was always good in my attack. But I had to really learn to play rallies as well. Back then I used to get really tired by the third set and almost give up all the third setters. But as I went into the senior circuit, I worked on my fitness. I got stronger and started playing long rallies as well. Now I've adapted to the defensive style also. The defense and the front court movements are tough [with his height], I have to work a lot on leg strength and become stronger."
"[Viktor] Axelsen can get really low, it was really surprising that he can do all those things with that height.... I have to be like that if I want to play at my best."
Chopda explains the technical aspects of it. "The side-to-side movement, those when the opponents hit those half smashes, is easier for somebody who is a little shorter. A lot of players will try to displace him in the corners and then hit on the body. So, the body defence becomes critical, because their height makes moving hands near their body difficult."
"Also, lower body strength: he will be prone to lower back injuries because he is so tall, so that is something that we will have to take care of. Ayush has been working on all this, it's work in progress, but these are some of the things which will be challenging in his career."
Right now, Ayush is at that stage of his young career where silver medals are celebrated, where hopes and expectations are created as he sits on the brink of becoming a mainstay in Indian badminton and the Indian sporting consciousness.
In a year headlined by the Asian Games and a World Championship at home, this spotlight is only going to get bigger and brighter. With his imposing style and the element of novelty on his side, Ayush has the perfect opportunity to grow within this spotlight and take centre stage.