Indian badminton star HS Prannoy has questioned the tight schedule at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. His comments came after Indian shuttlers Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda were required to play two singles matches on September 26, with only a short gap between them.Key HighlightsPrannoy Asian Games Scheduling concerns focus on short recovery time.Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda played two matches on the same day.Prannoy said the schedule gave players little time to recover.India’s badminton individual events are being held from September 25 to 29.Prannoy Questions Asian Games ScheduleThe issue became clear on Saturday when Ayush and Unnati completed their second-round matches in the morning. Both were then scheduled to return to the court later in the evening for their Round of 16 matches.Prannoy, who is part of the Indian badminton team, raised the issue on social media. He pointed to the short time between matches and the effect it could have on players.“This year's Asian Games schedule looks like a South zone championships schedule.”He also pointed to the late medal ceremony from the team event and the early matches that followed for several players.Indian Shuttlers Face Two MatchesThe Indian shuttlers two matches a day issue affected Ayush and Unnati during the singles competition.Ayush Shetty defeated Kazakhstan’s Makhsut Tajibullayev 21-7, 21-7 in only 21 minutes. He then had to prepare for his Round of 16 match against Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-Chen.Unnati Hooda had a longer match. She defeated Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching 21-14, 20-22, 21-19 in 79 minutes. She then faced another match later in the day.The different match lengths meant the two players had different recovery demands before their next games.Prannoy Highlights Recovery ConcernsThe Prannoy hectic scheduling comments have brought attention to recovery during a major multi-sport event. Badminton matches can require repeated movement, quick reactions and long rallies, making the time between matches important for players.Prannoy has previously spoken about scheduling and player workload. His latest comments came as the Indian badminton team moved from team events into the individual competitions.The Asian Games badminton schedule lists individual events from September 25 to September 29. The schedule includes preliminary rounds, Round of 16 matches, quarterfinals, semifinals and medal matches.India’s Badminton Campaign ContinuesIndia’s badminton campaign has already seen busy days during the Asian Games 2026. The team events were followed by the individual competitions, increasing the number of matches for players competing in different stages.Prannoy is also part of India’s men’s badminton squad. The Indian team includes Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth and other leading players.The discussion over Prannoy scheduling concerns has now put player recovery and match timing in focus as the badminton competition continues in Aichi-Nagoya.Also Read : Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda Reach Round of 16 at Asian Games
