Without a shadow of doubt, the Vodafone Indian Badminton League (IBL) is one of the best things that has happened to Indian badminton.

And it is happening at the right time as Indian badminton has emerged from the shadows of mediocrity that had enveloped it for so long.

PV Sindhu hammering two of the best Chinese shuttlers at the recently concluded World Championships to win the elusive bronze medal and two other Indians reaching the quarter-finals just goes to show that India is on its way to becoming a superpower of the sport.

The IBL therefore, reflects the growing strength of the country in world badminton and that is one of the main reasons why some of the biggest names in world badminton, led by the legendary Lee Chong Wei, the current women’s World No 2 Juliane Schenk and a host of other top-ranked world players are participating.

The six-franchise league will see cut-throat competition and edge-of-the-seat matches. And therefore while there are many clashes to look forward to, the most mouth-watering one, as far as fans are concerned, is the eagerly awaited encounter between Saina Nehwal of Hyderabad Hotshots and Sindhu of Awadhe Warriors.

Saina Nehwal (right) and Jwala Gutta with the IBL Trophy during a press conference yesterday. Pic/Rajeev Tyagi