Mumbai: Not too long ago, India’s male squash field was largely a one-man army carrying the country’s flag at the top level. Now, it’s a troop of men pushing each other to raise their markers individually and, with it, Indian squash collectively.
Four Indians lie in and around the world’s top 50 of the men’s PSA rankings: Abhay Singh (26th), Ramit Tandon (37th), Veer Chotrani (43rd) and Velavan Senthilkumar (51st).
That’s not usual for Indian squash, in which Saurav Ghosal was the runaway leader for years and, although he had some others behind him at different points, the gap was often wide.
It’s never been closer. Once Ghosal walked away Tandon took over the India No.1 tag. At present, it rests with Abhay. At this week’s JSW Indian Open, a PSA Copper event, four of the top five men’s seeds are Indians. For this year’s Asian Games, which offers a ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, there’s set to be a jostle for men’s singles spots and a solid group to defend the team gold.
“These are promising times for the men’s team, looking at the Asian Games at least,” said Abhay.
“We’re at a very high level as a group,” said Tandon. “If you compare it to 5 or 10 years ago, it was Saurav at the top and others outside the top 50. I don’t think it’s normal for Indian squash to see more than one of their players taking out top 20 opponents.”
Tandon, 33, has been there and done that a few times. So have Abhay, 27, and Chotrani, 24, recently. Velavan, 27, also carries potential.
Tandon, who has been at the elite level with Ghosal before and now this bunch, outlined multiple factors behind the larger and richer depth in Indian men’s squash – the growing talent pipeline, increased support from corporates and government since the Olympics stamp on squash, and having more events at home, like the Indian Open.
There’s also a common thread between India and the world, strung by PSA changing its rankings from every month to every week.
It means one great week in a big event and somebody could zoom ahead. “What used to take 6-8 months to go ahead of someone can now happen in 3-4 weeks,” said Tandon.
It means Abhay is being kept “on his toes” as the India No.1; even if his goal is “to be one of the best players in the world, not just in India.”
“If you slack off even a little bit, these guys are going to take over,” said Abhay. “But it’s good they are close. They can push me, and I use that as motivation to stay on top.”
In turn Chotrani is motivated by having two compatriots ahead of him yet not too far.
“It makes it more interesting, more fun,” Chotrani said. “We’re all pretty much at a similar level. We can beat each other on a given day.”
They may all be battling against and pushing each other, but they get along just as well. Last week at the wedding of Tandon’s brother, guests included Abhay, Chotrani and Velavan’s wife.
“It was basically an Indian squash reunion,” chuckled Tandon. “Off the court, they’ve become like my family outside home.”
“We’re not like best friends,” said Abhay. “We’re all competing and trying to beat each other. But it’s very healthy. We can sit down and have a good conversation and a laugh.”
It helps when they have to play as a team, which will be at the Asian Games in Japan later this year.
“The way everyone is playing and placed right now, if we get it right, it’s a great opportunity at the Asian Games,” said Tandon.
Squash, though, is an individual sport. And each of them has personal goals that see them higher than where they’re at currently.
Former world No.10 Ghosal is the only Indian male to have broken into the top 20. Tandon and Abhay have broken into the top 30. The goal for both, and also the other two, is to get into Ghosal’s club, and perhaps even higher. For that, their sporadic sparks of upset wins and deep runs in big events would have to be more sustained.
That will take them to the next level individually, and with it, Indian squash collectively.
“We all can do it (beat top players) on a certain day, but we’re not in the top 20 because we’re not able to do it on a consistent basis,” said Tandon. “The next step will be to get consistent with it. That’s the challenge ahead for Indian squash.”
