Syed Modi International: Srikanth looks to rebuild after Malaysia high

The former world No.1 has shown signs of coming into his own this year after a period marked by inconsistent results and drop in rankings. After struggling through qualifiers, he reached the final of a BWF tournament for the first time in four years at the Malaysia Masters.

Ranked 65th at the time, Srikanth’s journey to the final included wins over higher-ranked opponents and demonstrated both tactical sharpness and improved fitness. Notably, he defeated France’s Toma Junior Popov and Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen en route to the final, before falling to China’s Li Shi Feng in straight games (21-11, 21-9).

Five months down the line, Srikanth is gearing up for another podium finish, this time for Syed Modi India International Tournament that began here on Tuesday.

“We have already discussed his plans for the next Asian Games and bettering his ranking is the target right now,” Srikanth’s old rival and now his coach Parupalli Kashyap said a day ahead of shuttler’s first round match against compatriot Kavin Thangam in the men’s singles.

“He is trying his best. Of course, he is at the later stage of his career and I feel that he has to take care of his body properly,” said Kashyap, adding, “”He has struggled to stay fit, and he is working really hard.”

In the 2015 final, Kashyap had a thrilling 23-21, 23-21 win over Srikanth, but in the next year Srikanth came back strongly to win his maiden title here, defeating China’s Huang Yuxiang 2-1 in a thrilling final.

“Srikanth is a sincere guy. He has always been one and he has shown some good form in the last tournament as well. He won the first round against the All-England finalist Lechia Howe. It was a good win for him. Undoubtedly, Srikanth is slowly improving. We expect a lot from him. But I think he is trying his best as well,” added Kashyap.

Certainly, finishing as the Malaysia Masters runners-up this year was a big boost to his confidence as his performance at this Super 500 event was his most significant on the BWF World Tour since early 2024, marking a clear revival of his competitive edge.

“I am very happy that I reached here and now it’s about getting better from here,” Srikanth had said after a strong performance in May. “I feel I am almost there, it’s just about winning some important matches to return to my best form,” he stated, expressing confidence in his progress.

“If you look at the kind of matches I’ve played in the last three months, I’m kind of playing better, I can see it,” he noted, observing personal improvement on the court. I don’t want to stop here; I’d say I’m at 15-20%, so I’d want to get to 100%,” he had said.

While Srikanth’s ranking has dipped from his glory days, his hunger for high-level competition remains. His resurgence in 2025 hints at realistic ambitions for future World Tour events and the possibility of representing India in major international competitions if his form holds.

While an Olympic medal—a long-standing aspiration—may be less likely due to age and intense competition, Srikanth’s renewed performances set the stage for a strong late-career push.

Experts believe that continued focus on physical conditioning and managing fitness will be crucial as he strives for more podium finishes and possibly the elusive return of a major BWF title.