Lakshya Sen has entered the age bracket, 25+, that is considered peak years for Indian mens singles shuttlers. Kidambi Srikanth, Pullela Gopichand and Prakash Padukone all had their highest highs from 25-28. And while only a LA Olympics ’28 medal can mend the broken heart from Paris ’24 for Sen, the next two seasons might prove decisive in ascertaining his place in the legacy of Indian badminton.

The Asian Games gold, the All England and a second World Championship medal all remain India’s elusive goals in men’s singles for 2026. But in the ’25 season, Sen has seen his fortunes plummet, when what you would expect is an angry charge at every title, trying to make a point after the Paris miss. At Australia on Sunday, he awaits his first title of 2025, but only his closest team perhaps unde

See Full Page