Change of guard in Thomas Cup, more shift looming under new scoring

INDIA were minnows and France barely a footnote when Malaysia last lifted the Thomas Cup in 1992.

Thirty-four years on, the landscape has flipped.

India are already champions (2022) and back in the semi-finals in Horsens.

France have surged into their first last-four appearance, sweeping past Japan 3-0 with a singles-led statement.

Together with Denmark, they marked a rare moment of two European teams in the semis. Taiwan and Thailand are rising too.

And the old order? Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia have taken hits to their pride.

Malaysia’s campaign followed a familiar script. A grind in the group stage, a 2-3 loss to Japan, then a 0-3 dismantling by China in the quarter-finals.

The Thomas Cup didn’t reveal anything new as it simply confirmed the obvious: Malaysia lacked depth in the singles.

Even before Kenneth Jonassen came in as coaching director last year, the reliance was already clear on Leong Jun Hao, an injured Ng Tze Yong, and hope placed on handful emerging names.

Lee Zii Jia had gone professional in 2022 and was navigating his own path.

Ironically, Zii Jia, who returned briefly to answer the national call, was the only real bright spark in Horsens, winning all his matches though he was barely stretched, aside from Koki Watanabe.

Since Lee Chong Wei retired in 2019, the gap has only widened.

Jun Hao inherited the No. 1 role not by dominance, but by default, with Zii Jia and Tze Yong sidelined.

He has tried, but at this level, effort alone is not enough.

Then comes the bigger question – priorities.

While the Thomas Cup was unfolding, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) ran the National Under-18 Championships. Why?

If the future matters, shouldn’t it be given full attention with the best coaches present, scouting the next wave?

Grassroots erosion is part of the problem.

In China, Japan and India, local tournaments still matter. National titles carry weight. Everything pauses when they are played.

Here, what has become of the Perak Open, Selangor Open, Johor Open?

Top players skip them due to packed schedules. State players rarely get the chance to test themselves against the elite. The pathway is fragmented.

There could be more Chong Weis out there but they are unseen, untested, undiscovered.

To Malaysia’s credit, there are signs of change in recent times.

Chong Wei’s return to the setup last year is a boost, and he has the backing of the new BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The appointment of former player Lim Kenn this year to bridge the gap between state and national levels is another positive step.

But structure alone is not enough.

State associations cannot remain passive. They must drive development, not just administer it. More former players need to take ownership at that level.

Clubs are doing commendable work but without alignment with states, progress stalls.

There is funding of RM500,000 annually per state, yet talent production remains uneven. Why?

And now, another curveball.

The Badminton World Federation have approved the 15x3 scoring format, set to come into force in 2027.

Shorter games, faster starts, less room for recovery.

For a team already struggling in singles, this could widen the gap further.

The next Thomas Cup will be played under this new system. Right now, it’s hard to even picture Malaysia’s singles line-up for that stage.

BAM have invested millions with good facilities, support for best coaches, regular tournaments exposures, even RM1.3mil for centralised training in Horsens.

But without a stronger talent pipeline, it risks becoming a cycle of preparation without progression.

Unless something shifts, especially at state level, the changing of the guard we’re witnessing may not stop here.

And one day, don’t be surprised if even a nation far outside the traditional powerhouses rises to lift the Thomas Cup – and we will be still waiting.