An Indian badminton players will get used to the new scoring season from this month after the Badminton Association of India (BAI) confirmed the introduction of the 3×15 rally-point system across the country.The revamped format will begin at the Yonex-Sunrise All India Senior Ranking Tournament, scheduled to be held at the Regional Sports Center in Ernakulam from July 7 to 14.Under the revised rules, matches will continue to follow the best-of-three-game format, but each game will now be played to 15 points instead of the traditional 21. Players or pairs must still get a two-point advantage after 14-all to win a match. If the score reaches 20-all, the next point will decide the winner, each game is worth 21 points.The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is set to introduce the same scoring system in international badminton from January next year. By implementing the system early, BAI wants to ensure that Indian shuttles are familiar with the changes before they roll out globally.“This decision has been taken to ensure that players of all ages are aware and able to compete with the revised content, and to ensure that it is successful once the system is implemented globally,” BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra said in a release.Apart from the revised scoring, several match modes have also been updated. Half-time will now take place when the top player or two reaches eight points, instead of the 11-point break. In the third-choice game, the players will continue to switch ends, with the change occurring after 60 minutes at eight points. The 120 second break between games has not changed, while the winner of the previous game will still serve first in the next game.The new 3×15 format will be implemented in all domestic tournaments organized by the BAI, including the Zonal Championship and Domestic Ranking Tournaments in the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Senior and Masters (Veterans) categories. It will also be used at every level of the National Championships, from under 11 to Senior and Masters categories.With a global rollout set to take place next year, India’s first launch is expected to help its players quickly adapt to a format designed to make matches faster, more powerful and smarter.
