Best Badminton Rackets Under 1000 Rupees in India (2026)
Walk into any sports shop in Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Delhi and you will see hundreds of rackets stacked on the wall. For someone just starting out, paying 4000-8000 rupees for a Yonex Astrox or a Li-Ning Aeronaut feels excessive. The good news is that India has one of the most competitive budget badminton markets in the world, and you can absolutely buy a playable, durable racket for under 1000 rupees.
We spent the last three months testing budget rackets at indoor academies in Pune and Hyderabad with school-level players, weekend club players and absolute beginners. This guide is the honest result.
Why Buy a Budget Racket Instead of a Premium One?
If you are reading this, you probably fall into one of these groups:
- Absolute beginner: You don't yet have the technique to feel the difference between a 600-rupee and a 6000-rupee racket. Spending less now means you can upgrade once your style emerges.
- Casual / once-a-week player: A budget racket easily handles two to three sessions per week if you are not smashing every shuttle into the floor.
- Buying for kids: Children outgrow rackets the same way they outgrow shoes. A 700-rupee racket is the sweet spot for school players in classes 3 to 8.
- Society / colony / hostel player: Most outdoor and society courts in India use slow nylon or feather shuttles where racket sensitivity matters less.
Budget does not have to mean bad. Many of these rackets share factories with mid-range models — the difference is in finishing, paint and string, not the carbon layup.
Our Top 7 Picks Under 1000 Rupees
1. Cosco CB-89 Jr. — Best for School Beginners (~ Rs. 599)
Cosco is the brand most Indian school PE departments stock, and there is a reason. The CB-89 Jr. is an aluminium-shaft racket weighing around 95g with a junior grip. The frame is forgiving, the strings come pre-strung at a low 18-19 lbs which suits new players, and replacement is dirt cheap.
- Pros: Indestructible build, available in every Decathlon and local sports shop, kid-friendly grip size.
- Cons: Heavy by modern standards, will feel sluggish once you cross intermediate level.
- Best for: Children ages 8-13, complete beginners.
2. Yonex GR 303 — Best Yonex Under 1000 (~ Rs. 850)
The GR 303 is the only legitimate Yonex racket you can buy under 1000 rupees. It is steel-shaft, aluminium-head, and weighs around 100g — far heavier than a 4U pro racket but built like a tank. The Yonex logo also matters psychologically; players treat it with more respect than a no-name racket.
- Pros: Genuine Yonex quality control, even balance, reasonable string at 20 lbs.
- Cons: Heavy, no carbon, plastic head cap can crack after 6-8 months of heavy use.
- Best for: Adult beginners who want a "real" branded racket without spending much.
3. Konex Carbon Tech 7000 — Best Carbon Racket Under 1000 (~ Rs. 749)
Konex is an Indian brand that has surprised reviewers in 2025-26 by offering a graphite shaft racket at this price. It is genuinely lighter (around 88g), feels close to a 4U racket, and has surprisingly good touch on net shots.
- Pros: Light, manoeuvrable, looks premium, comes with full cover.
- Cons: Stock string is too tight for beginners (24 lbs) — get it restrung at 22 lbs.
- Best for: Intermediate players on a tight budget, doubles players who want speed.
4. Nivia Smash 008 — Best All-Round Pick (~ Rs. 699)
Nivia is best known for footballs, but their badminton range punches above its price. The Smash 008 has an aluminium frame, a steel shaft, and a wide head shape that is very forgiving.
- Pros: Large sweet spot, durable, available across the country, comes with grip wrap and headguard.
- Cons: Heavy at 96g, generic feel.
- Best for: Society players who play 2-3 times a week with friends.
5. Li-Ning Smash XP 70-IV — Best Doubles Budget Pick (~ Rs. 950)
Li-Ning's entry XP series is rare under 1000 rupees but worth grabbing on Flipkart sales. It is head-light, around 87g, and excellent for fast doubles play. The build is honest aluminium with a steel shaft.
- Pros: Genuine Li-Ning paintwork, fast handling, good for doubles drives.
- Cons: Limited power on smashes, not great for singles players who like to attack.
- Best for: Doubles players, women's recreational matches, mixed doubles.
6. Cosco CBX 350 — Best for Power (~ Rs. 899)
The CBX 350 is a head-heavy aluminium racket designed for power players. If you find yourself smashing a lot in colony games, this is the budget option that will not let you down.
- Pros: Head-heavy feel rare at this price, great smash transfer.
- Cons: Slow recovery between shots, tiring for long matches.
- Best for: Singles attackers, players over 75 kg with strong wrists.
7. Apacs Lethal 9 (Older Stock) — Hidden Gem (~ Rs. 999)
If you can find the older Apacs Lethal 9 still in stock on niche stores like Khelmart or BadmintonHQ India, grab it. Apacs uses Taiwanese carbon and even their entry rackets feel like 1500-rupee competition.
- Pros: Real graphite frame, even balance, premium feel.
- Cons: Hard to find, sold mostly online, limited warranty in India.
- Best for: Players who already know they want to keep playing seriously.
Where to Buy in India
Pricing changes weekly during sales. Our recommended buying spots:
- Decathlon (in-store and online): Best for Cosco, Nivia and Decathlon's own Perfly brand. You can hold the racket before buying.
- Khelmart and BadmintonHQ: Best for genuine Yonex, Li-Ning and Apacs at low prices, with proper warranty cards.
- Flipkart Big Billion sales: Yonex GR 303 and Li-Ning XP series often drop to 600-700 rupees here.
- Amazon India: Easy returns, but check seller ratings — fake Yonex rackets are a real problem.
- Local sports shops: Best for Cosco and Nivia. You can also negotiate, especially in cities like Hyderabad and Lucknow.
Warning on fakes: If a "Yonex Astrox 99" is selling for 1200 rupees, it is fake. Original Yonex rackets in that range start at 8500 rupees. Stick to GR-series or Mavis-series for genuine sub-1000 Yonex.
What About Strings and Tension?
Budget rackets ship with cheap nylon string, usually rated for 18-22 lbs. For most players this is fine. If you upgrade later, get the racket restrung with Yonex BG-65 (around 250 rupees with labour) at 22 lbs. Anything over 24 lbs on a budget aluminium frame risks deforming the head shape.
Read our deeper string tension guide for Indian players if you want to understand what tension fits your game.
Care Tips to Make Your Budget Racket Last
- Always carry the racket in its cover. Sweat and humidity in cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata will rust steel shafts within a year if exposed.
- Never lean on the racket. Aluminium frames bend permanently from very small forces.
- Do not store inside a hot car. Heat above 50 degrees C delaminates paint and weakens the frame.
- Restring at the first sign of fraying. Playing with a broken string puts uneven tension on the frame.
- Wipe the grip with a dry cloth after every session, and replace the overgrip every 2 months.
Final Verdict
If we had to pick just one racket under 1000 rupees, it would be the Konex Carbon Tech 7000 for its surprise graphite construction. For absolute first-time players, the Cosco CB-89 Jr. remains the safest choice — it has introduced more Indian children to badminton than any other racket.
Once you have played for 3-6 months, you will start to feel the limits of any sub-1000 racket. That is the right time to upgrade. Use our AI equipment recommender to map your playing style to the perfect next racket, or run our free swing analysis to see whether your technique is ready for an attacking head-heavy frame.