New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) In a bid to prepare Indian shuttlers well ahead of the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) planned global rollout, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) will introduce the new 3x15 scoring system across all domestic tournaments from July 2026, beginning with the All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament in Ernakulam from July 7-14.

The early adoption aims to give players, coaches, and technical officials sufficient competitive exposure to the revised format before it becomes the international standard from January 2027. BAI believes the move will help Indian badminton maintain its competitive edge by ensuring athletes adapt to the tactical and physical demands of the shorter format well in advance.

Under the revised rules, matches will continue to follow a best-of-three-games, rally-point format, but each game will now be played to 15 points instead of 21. A player or pair must still win by two points after 14-all, with each game capped at 21 points, where the next point after 20-all decides the winner.

The shorter format is expected to make matches faster-paced, intensify momentum swings, and place a greater premium on tactical execution and quick decision-making.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra said the federation wanted all stakeholders to become familiar with the revised scoring format before its international implementation.

“In order to ensure uniformity in competition, facilitate better preparation, and enable players, coaches, technical officials, and all stakeholders to become fully accustomed to the new scoring format well before its proposed implementation by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) from January 2027 onwards, it has been decided to further extend the implementation of the 3x15 scoring system. This decision has been taken to ensure that players across all age groups develop familiarity and competitive adaptability to the revised scoring format, thereby ensuring a smooth transition when the system is adopted internationally,” he said.

The rule changes also include revised match procedures. The mid-game interval will now be taken when the leading player or pair reaches eight points instead of 11, with a 60-second break and a change of ends in the deciding game. The two-minute interval between games remains unchanged, while the winner of the previous game will continue to serve first.

The new scoring format will be implemented uniformly across India's domestic badminton calendar, covering Zonal Championships, Ranking Tournaments, and National Championships. It will be applicable across all age groups, from Under-11 to Senior and Masters (Veterans), creating a consistent competitive structure throughout the domestic circuit ahead of the BWF's worldwide transition in 2027.

--IANS

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