India swings into pickleball: The sport redefining recreational play

What began as a modest backyard game has steadily carved a unique space for itself in India’s dynamic sports landscape. Over the past decade, pickleball—a sport that fuses elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis—has evolved from obscurity to a national movement in India, attracting players of all ages and backgrounds.

At first glance, pickleball’s appeal lay in its simplicity. Played on a smaller court with a lightweight paddle and a perforated ball, it didn’t demand the power and stamina required by tennis or the precision of badminton. Instead, it offered a social, low-impact alternative that quickly resonated with people looking for a recreational yet competitive outlet.

But, despite its rapid rise, challenges remain. Access to quality coaching, limited large-scale infrastructure, and low awareness outside urban centers still hinder the sport’s broader reach. However, momentum is on pickleball’s side.

Addressing the issue, Siddhant Jatia, Founder and CEO of Picklebay said, “Using Pickle Bay, we have created like a complete end-to-end ecosystem around the sport. Currently, we're live in six cities. We have almost every pickleball court listed in these six cities on our tech platform. People can actually go there, make informed decisions about where they need to play, what they need to play, what are the sizes of the courts, what are the charges, etc.”

Meanwhile, India's No. 8 Avinash Kumar shared his thoughts about the sport and the future associated with it. He said, “I see a good future for pickleball. It is growing very fast. Once people start playing pickleball, they get attracted to it. They always want to play it. They want to continue it. So, the future looks bright.”

Aaliya Ebrahim, a former tennis player spoke about what makes pickleball different than other racket sports. She said, “I think pickleball is a more quicker sport. It's more fun. It's more quick and there's a great community for pickleball as well. It's super fun. Pickleball has been growing very tremendously in the West, especially in Europe. It's now catching up in India.”

Picklebay is India’s first comprehensive pickleball platform, enabling players to discover courts, join tournaments, find playing partners, and be part of a thriving community. Now active across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, Picklebay is building a digitally connected future for the sport in India.