From juniors to big dreams: Sanskar Saraswat and Arsh Mohammad chase the big stage | Badminton News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Badminton has become big in India, especially in the last two decades, ever since Saina Nehwal won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and PV Sindhu became a double Olympic medalist in the next two editions, making it one of the most popular sports in the country.These achievements gave many young people the motivation to pursue the sport as a career and achieve what the legends of the game have done so far. Two such emerging young shuttlers for the country are 20-year-old Sanskar Saraswat from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and Arsh Mohammad from Banda, Uttar Pradesh.

Sanskar Saraswat, who plays both singles and doubles, is steadily making a name for himself on the Indian badminton circuit, buoyed by consistent performances and a growing sense of belief in his game. His national senior doubles title in 2024, followed by a senior bronze medal in Vijayawada last year, marked an important stage in his transition from junior to senior badminton. His recent win at the Guwahati Super 100 further highlighted his continued progress.Saraswat revealed that moving to the senior category in 2024 was a challenge he had mentally prepared for. “From the junior level itself, I was competing against senior players, so I already had experience with the required intensity and skill,” he said in an exclusive chat with TimesofIndia.com.Despite some injury setbacks in 2025, Saraswat remained patient with himself. “I never lost hope. I kept training and working on my mental preparation,” he said. That resilience paid off at the Guwahati Super 100, where his tactical preparation against international opponents made the difference.While he has also tasted success in doubles, he clarified that singles remains his main focus. “My main event is singles. I have played both formats from a very young age, so managing them comes naturally, but singles is where my main focus is,” he noted. Looking ahead, Saraswat aims to enter the top 80 of the world rankings by 2026 with consistent performances in international tournaments.Grounded yet ambitious, Saraswat sums up with a quote he lives by: “Progress, even in small steps, is still progress” – a mindset that continues to fuel his rise in Indian badminton.

Sankar Saraswat

On the other hand, Arsh Mohammad’s journey has not been linear. He started his career playing singles, but the 18-year-old made the switch to doubles, which he has specifically focused on since the COVID break. His move to the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad proved crucial, and the presence of quality players like Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had a positive impact on his mentality and attitude. “Training alongside seniors gave me motivation and made me believe that doubles was where I truly belonged,” Arsh told TimesofIndia.com.His big break came shortly after entering the senior circuit in 2024, when he won the gold medal in the senior doubles event – ​​a huge confidence boost, especially after his previous junior victory. However, that progress was soon interrupted by a serious ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury.A torn ACL threatened to halt his rise, but Arsh returned strongly shortly after his recovery with a senior bronze medal in 2025. He is currently working on improving his play in the frontcourt.Arsh’s goal is clear: “to be among the top 100 doubles players in the world,” by winning Super 100s and other Challenge-level tournaments.

Ultimately, his dream is “to become an Olympic champion” – a goal driven by a simple motivation. “I just want to make my parents proud,” he concluded.