by Joe James
What’s the Story?
The popularity of pickleball in India has led to predictions that the sport will become bigger than cricket.
At the ET NOW Global Business Summit 2025, former Indian tennis player Aditya Khanna said: “After USA, India is the most played pickleball nation in the world. And in coming years, pickleball will gain more popularity in India than cricket.”
Pickleball has become an attractive option for people due to its accessibility and cost-effectiveness. It has also caught the attention of real estate, with buyers opting for properties with pickleball facilities, something that is especially altering property valuation.
“Buyers are now looking for pickleball courts instead of swimming pools, tennis courts at the time of purchasing flats in society,” seasoned pickleball athlete Pranv Kholi said. “If you don’t have a pickleball court, the cost of property is going down by 20 to 30 per cent in Delhi, Mumbai, and other tier-one cities in India.”
The discussions of India’s pickleball future come off the back of the inaugural MGM Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League (TNPPL), which took place on February 15 and 16, 2025, at Vaels International School in Injambakkam, Chennai.
Cheeky Cheetahs (CC) won the TNPPL title against the Salem Slammers (SS) on Sunday.
The event was organised by the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association (TPNA) as the title sponsor, along with Boom Cars and Madha Medical College & Research Institute as co-sponsors.
Specton was the official ball partner, with Act Fibernet involved as the internet streaming sponsor and Pickleball United providing court sponsorship.
The league followed an auction-based format with over 200 players registered. After the auction, 16 teams comprised of 10 players each, including two women and two senior players (over 50), began the two-day tournament.
There were big names in attendance at the ceremony and throughout the tournament, including India Olympian and table tennis star Sharath Kamal, who praised the sport’s ability to bring people together.
Thiru J Meghanath Reddy, IAS, CEO of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, expressed the importance of the tournament in being a new avenue for bringing in new talent to the sport.
Actor Sathish Muthukrishnan took part in an exhibition match, helping to boost the event’s profile as the inaugural TNPPL looks to further cement pickleball in India.
The Recap
The TNPPL tournament featured 16 teams split into two groups, competing in a round-robin format before advancing to the knockout rounds.
The full lineup of teams: Adaia Storm Breakers, Chennai Veerans, Cheeky Cheetahs, Chennai Super Stars, Chennai Super Dinkers, Chennai Dupr Terminatrz, Chennai Super Knights, I5 Indians, Madras Guns, Pickleball Clubhouse Coimbatore, PRC Dinkosaurs, Raunaq Titans, Royal Stallions, Salem Slammers, The Lob Mob, Thiruchi Thumbis.
One of the most exciting aspects of the league was the strong backing from franchise owners as well as icon players, adding a fresh side to the tournament.
Atul Jain, owner of Chennai DUPR Terminatrz, built a team led by Sunnidhi Jain and Sivasankar R, with Dr S Madan Kumar and Dr J Raghav, co-owners of Royal Stallions, assembled a well-balanced squad featuring Sathwika Sama and Gopi Ravi as their icons.
The eventual winners, Cheeky Cheetahs, were led by icons Ganeshkumar and Vimalraj J, whose doubles performances secured the title.
Beyond the star players, the league also highlighted senior talent, with players over 50 making a significant impact. The mixed-age format brought a unique element, further showcasing pickleball’s multi-generational appeal.
Over two days, with matches running from 7:30 AM to 6:45 PM, fans of pickleball in India were treated to a brand-new tournament which showed pickleball is here to stay.
The PKLBull Verdict
The World Pickleball League (WPBL) revolutionised pickleball not just in India but globally and now with another new tournament completed in 2025, the sport is not just a casual recreational activity, but a structured, competitive sport with substantial financial backing and media attention.
With the statements at the ET NOW Global Business Summit and the emergence of successful tournaments across multiple skill and reputation levels, there is an appetite for pickleball.
The commitment of franchise owners, the emergence of new standout players, and the support of established sports figures like Sharath Kamal and huge sponsors like MGM Healthcare are crucial in setting the stage for future tournaments.
While the TNPPL didn’t hold the same international level of star power of Bollywood and Cricket stars that the WPBL had been involved with, it laid a strong foundation for the sport’s future.
Real estate is being reshaped by the desire for pickleball, if that is not an indictment of the power and influence it already holds, then what else can you say about the game?
For India, pickleball has arrived, and it is here to stay, next for the TNPPL tournament is to establish bigger media coverage, international partnerships and continued expansion, such as more teams, another location or extending the tournament for longer than two days like the WPBL.
Scaling it up, attracting even bigger investors, and turning it into an annual spectacle that rivals India’s other established sports leagues will be another step.
This is an exciting time for pickleball and India, and you feel this is merely scratching the surface of what is possible and the huge plans that are being prepared behind the scenes.