Malaysia Masters: Back from wilderness, Kidambi Srikanth shows glimpses of vintage form

India Today

24-05-2025

It's been a long, winding road back, but on a humid Saturday in Kuala Lumpur, Kidambi Srikanth found the rhythm, resolve and radiance that once made him the world's best. With a 21-18, 24-22 win over Japan's Yushi Tanaka in the Malaysia Masters Super 500 semi-final, Srikanth entered his first BWF final since 2019 — a six-year wait that felt far longer for the player himself.advertisementGone was the tentative footwork and the patchy shot selection of recent seasons. In their place: sharp net play, crisp attacking intent and that familiar deception which once left the best guessing. Against the world No. 23, Srikanth mixed aggression with guile, especially in the tight second game, saving game points and holding his nerve in extended rallies.Srikanth, who began in the qualifying round, has beaten four higher-ranked players in an inspired run in Malaysia.
For a player who had once collected four BWF titles in 2017 and led India to Thomas Cup gold in 2022, the slide that followed — marred by injuries, loss of form and a missed Olympic berth in Paris — was both physical and mental. There were brief glimmers: the historic 2021 World Championships silver, a flawless Thomas Cup run in 2022. But those were scattered moments in a largely frustrating chapter.advertisementAsked when he last reached a BWF World Tour final, Srikanth smiled and admitted, 'I've lost track of it' in a candid reminder of just how long the wait has been.This week in Malaysia, something clicked. Under the watchful eyes of coaches RMV Gurusaidutt and Parupalli Kashyap, Srikanth has rebuilt not just his fitness, but also his confidence — rally by rally."I've been working hard the past month. It's just these wins, after a very long time, that reflect all those emotions," he said.A big moment for Kidambi Srikanth!Hear what he had to say after the win. #BWFWorldTour #MalaysiaMasters2025 pic.twitter.com/w5RxEClOQF— BWF (@bwfmedia) May 24, 2025Now ranked 65 in the world, Srikanth isn't thinking about rankings or Olympic points — just about playing, recovering, and being injury-free. He's learned, the hard way, that good form is not just about skill but also about sustained match time — something he sorely missed last year.On Sunday, he will face China's second seed Li Shi Feng in the final — a big test, no doubt. But for now, just being back in contention, just hearing his name announced for a title match again, is a story in itself."I obviously don't know. I have not really planned. I want to remain fit, injury free and playing tournament. I don't have any specific target as to how many tournaments I would be playing. If I play, I would obviously play to win.advertisement"I really want to give myself enough time to recover and play well," he said.Srikanth may not be the force of old, not yet. But for the first time in a long while, he's moving with purpose — and smiling like a man who knows he still has a few chapters left to write.