World Cup triumph a big boost as Indian squash prepares for LA Olympics

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is still some distance away, but for Indian squash, the countdown has already begun. When the sport makes its Olympic debut in the Entertainment Capital of the World, hopes will travel from local courts of Chennai and Delhi to the arc lights of Southern California — that at least one Indian will rise to the occasion and make a lasting impression.

Hope, though, must co-exist with reality. Squash enters an Olympic arena filled with depth and pedigree, and the qualification rules suggest that only players in the world’s top-16 — both men’s and women’s singles — can punch a ticket to Los Angeles. It definitely sets a daunting task for India still striving to bridge the gap with the sport’s traditional powerhouses such as England, Australia, France and now Egypt.

In the present PSA rankings, Anahat Singh stands out as India’s brightest beacon. At only 17 years, she is at the phase of her career where she is on the path to glory, winning two PSA titles, including a maiden Copper level title in the Indian Open in Chennai last month, and thereby taking her overall career haul to 14. However, most of those victories have come on the Challenger circuit.

What makes Anahat special in her rapid rise has been her maturity, her court-craft under pressure, and her impressive performance against higher-ranked opponents — qualities that suggest she may yet push herself and make the grade.

Behind Anahat in world rankings, experience and persistence continue to define the women’s contingent. Joshna Chinappa, at 39 years of age, remains India’s second-highest-ranked player at world No. 78, a testament to a remarkable longevity at the top level. Tanvi Khanna (84) and Akanksha Salunkhe (86) complete a group that has shown flashes of promise but will need sustained breakthroughs at bigger PSA events to even enter the Olympic conversation.

In the men’s field, Abhay Singh represents India’s most credible hope. Currently ranked World No. 29 — the highest of his career — Abhay has quietly built a reputation as a player capable of unsettling higher-ranked opponents. His blend of athleticism, tactical awareness, high octane energy, and growing confidence has kept him firmly on an upward curve. If India is to produce a men’s singles qualifier for Los Angeles, his name sits at the top of that list now.

Further down the rankings, Ramit Tandon (41), Velavan Senthilkumar (44) and Veer Chotrani (51) provide the depth Indian squash has rarely seen. All three can keep Olympic dreams alive, provided they produce results at major PSA World Tour events.

Anahat knows she has to play in higher PSA World Tour events to stand a solid chance of making it to Los Angeles and she seemed very confident. “I think my main aim is just to get my ranking as high as possible. I’m definitely going to qualify for the Olympics. I don’t want it to be like at the end that I’m not sure whether I’m going to get in or not. So, I want to make sure that it’s quite clear for me at least in the last few months of it,” she said.

The teenager remains far more mature than her age suggests when she remarked that her bigger objective is to improve her game by playing a bigger category of events.

“My main aim is just to improve my game as much as possible because even after I get into the Olympics, getting a medal is always in mind. I’m going to be able to play in some of the Platinum events and get a chance to play with the top players. It’s not going to be about winning events. It’s about getting as far as possible and learning a lot from it as well,” she said.

The country’s Olympic mission received a major boost when India clinched its maiden gold medal at the SDAT-Squash World Cup mixed team event, held in December at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai.

Immense appeal

Unlike the traditional World Squash Championships, which has celebrated 46 editions till 2025 (46 in men’s & 40 in women’s), the World Cup is relatively new, having completed just five editions since its inception in June 1996. Unfortunately, the tournament hasn’t been a regular fixture. Marketed as gender-equitable and modern, the mixed team format offers immense appeal and can get better provided it has a fixed calendar and prize money to sustain its momentum. For India, seeded second, the event provided an excellent platform to demonstrate the country’s growing prowess in squash to a nascent urban audience at a shopping and entertainment complex.

Showing depth and class

Defeating fifth-seeded Egypt, known for its talented young players, and then top-seeded Hong Kong in the final showed India has both the depth and class to emerge as a future powerhouse.

India’s head coach, Harinderpal Singh, highlighted the significance of the victory. “It’s the first time we’ve won the World Cup. The matches were extremely high-pressure. Beating Egypt and then Hong Kong wasn’t easy. Joshna’s triumph in the opening match was crucial. Abhay, who played next, thrives when the team is ahead, and that initial lead sets the tone. Performing under such pressure for the team is never easy, but Joshna has been doing it for years,” he said.

Joshna and Anahat won the the National Doubles  Squash Championship last May.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU

Joshna, reflecting on the team’s triumph, called it one of the highlights of her career. “A few months back, I wasn’t even sure I’d be playing. To compete at this level for my country and win gold is incredibly special. The whole team performed brilliantly all week,” she said. Anahat on her part was ecstatic after the team’s win.

“I played at a World Cup for the first time ever alongside my seniors. It was a great learning experience and I thank the Chennai crowd for the continuous support,” she said. For Abhay, it was even more special. “An unbelievable evening. To do this in front of my city makes me speechless. I hope this inspires a lot of kids watching—discipline and hard work can take you very far,” he said.

While the Olympics is still a few years away, recent performances at the Squash World Cup have demonstrated that Indian players can hold their own against the best in the world.

With the Asian Games on the horizon this September, where India is aiming to surpass its historic haul of five medals (two gold, one silver, and two bronze) there is a renewed sense of hope and belief. The momentum built at these events might well pave the way for an Indian presence at Los Angeles in 2028.

Published – January 06, 2026 11:40 pm IST