Badminton Association of India secretary Sanjay Mishra said they were in constant touch with PV Sindhu, but chances of her being able to travel onwards, looked very dim. (AP Photo)Stranded at a hotel in Dubai a nightmare transit on her way to Birmingham, it is “extremely unlikely” that PV Sindhu will make it to Birmingham for the All England Open, which is scheduled to start on Tuesday. Badminton Association of India secretary Sanjay Mishra said they were in constant touch with India’s top shuttler, but chances of her being able to travel onwards, looked very dim.“We are constantly in touch with her. But right now things are not in our control, and unfortunately it looks like she might miss the All England. The Badminton World Federation have been very sympathetic, and have assured that they will reschedule any games for players stuck in travel. But as of now, our options are next to nothing,” Mishra said.The Emirates that Sindhu was to take to fly to Birmingham is amongst several airlines that have lodged those stranded, a number close to 20,000, in hotels across Dubai. However, several international airlines had announced cancellations for the next few days, with Dutch KLM until Thursday, while Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa suspended them altogether, pointing to a longer drawn ou aviattion crisis.ALSO READ | US, Israel strike Iran: PV Sindhu stuck in Dubai as airport sustains damage – ‘Ordeal continues, more frightening by the hour’Coach Vimal Kumar who was due to fly out to Birmingham on Monday morning from Delhi, has cancelled his travel altogether, while singles player Unnati Hooda, was re-booked on a flight via Singapore and is expected to reach Birmingham late on Monday. “The mixed doubles players have reached, and Gopi will reach tonight,” Mishra informed.Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, as well as Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand had managed to fly out in the nick of time, having departed on Friday. Some shuttlers like Malvika Bansod had been competing in Germany and confirmed they had arrived from the mainland. Sindhu, alongwith coach Irwansyah and her team, were unfortunately caught bang in the middle of the chaos, needing to disembark from a boarded flight.While Sindhu had posted on social media that she was safe and Emirates had been attentive to all her concerns, the air attacks and retaliatory strikes, mean there is no way out in the next 24 hours at least. “She would have explored all options, but there’s no where to go even by road. They are struggling to get out,” Vimal said.Story continues below this adEarlier, Malaysian independent mixed doubles player Lim Chiew Sin had told Makaysian news outlets from Kuala Lumpur that she was due to fly from Kuala Lumpur via middle east, but rebooked on a Singapore to London flight, followed by a train to Birmingham.“Fortunately I’m playing on Wednesday so thank god I have time to arrive and get some rest because it will be a long journey. Nobody wants war to happen in this world, right?” she told The Star.Jonatan Christie, another top shuttler, who recently went independent (hence not with the national squad), had gotten onto a Turkish Airways flight, on March 1. But Dubai to Ankara was 35 hours by road, and deeply dangerous.Shuttlers from India and the South East Asian countries were the most likely to be impacted. However, both the Thailand and Makaysia squads reported having made their way to Birmingham safely. The Indonesian national team had flown out on February 24, for a two day acclimatization program in Milton Keynes, while the Chinese and Japanese were largely unaffected, transiting through Europe, if at all.Story continues below this adThe BWF put out a release saying, it was keeping a close watch, maintaining “real-time oversight of the situation and stand ready to assist delegations experiencing delays or route changes. This includes reviewing and preparing potential contingencies within the competition schedule should any players experience delayed arrival.”Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:PV Sindhu