From junior ranks to big dreams: Sanskar Saraswat, Arsh Mohammad chase the big stage

NEW DELHI: Badminton has grown big in India, especially over the last two decades, ever since Saina Nehwal won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and PV Sindhu became a double Olympic medallist in the next two editions, making it one of the most popular sports in the country.These achievements gave many youngsters the motivation to pursue the sport as a career and aim to achieve what the legends of the game have done so far. Two such upcoming 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 carving out a name for himself on the Indian badminton circuit, backed by consistent performances and a growing sense of belief in his game.

His senior national doubles title in 2024, followed by a bronze medal at the senior nationals in Vijayawada last year, marked an important phase in his transition from junior to senior-level badminton. His recent victory at the Guwahati Super 100 further underlined his continued progress.Saraswat revealed that stepping into the senior category in 2024 was a challenge he had prepared for mentally. “From the junior level itself, I competed against senior players, so I already had experience of the intensity and skill required,” 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.Though he has tasted success in doubles as well, he clarified that singles remains his primary 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 attention lies,” he noted. Looking ahead, Saraswat aims to enter the top 80 of the world rankings in 2026 with consistent performances in international tournaments.Grounded yet ambitious, Saraswat sums up with a quote that he lives by: "Progress, even in small steps, is still progress" — a mindset that continues to drive his rise in Indian badminton.

On the other hand, Arsh Mohammad’s journey has not been linear. He started his career as a singles player, but the 18-year-old transitioned to doubles, which he has focused on specifically since the COVID break. His move to the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad proved to be critical, and the presence of quality players such as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty positively influenced his mindset 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 he entered the senior circuit in 2024, when he won the gold medal in senior nationals in doubles — a huge confidence booster, particularly after his earlier victory at the junior nationals. That progress, however, was soon interrupted by a serious ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury.A torn ACL threatened to halt his rise, but Arsh returned strongly with a bronze medal at the senior nationals in 2025 shortly after his recovery. Currently, he is working to polish his game in the front-court position.Arsh’s goal is clear — “to be in the top 100 of the world’s doubles players,” 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.