Squash

Squash Season 2026-27 in India: A Club Player's Pre-Season Checklist

Club squash leagues restart across Indian cities in September. Here is the pre-season checklist — frame inspection, restring, ball grade, grip and the shoe check most players skip.

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Prince Genesis Power 200 squash racket, a club-level squash frame available in India

Squash season 2026-27 in India: the pre-season checklist

Squash in India is a cool-weather, indoor-court sport in practice. Club leagues and district events cluster between September and March, once courts are usable without industrial air conditioning and player availability recovers after the monsoon. That makes late August the right moment for a pre-season audit.

Squash gear degrades in an unusual way — the racket takes wall and floor contact that no other racket sport inflicts, and the ball changes character with court temperature. Here is what to check.

1. Inspect the frame before you restring it

Squash frames die from wall contact, not from hitting the ball. Run a finger around the frame's outer edge, especially at 10 and 2 o'clock where most scrapes land. Look for a flat spot, a crack in the paint that runs across rather than along the frame, or a grommet strip that has worn through to bare frame. Any of those means the frame is compromised and a new string job is money into a racket that may crack mid-season.

If you are replacing, the range splits cleanly by level. The Teloon Tour 170 Tornado Composit Squash Racket at ₹2,399 is a sensible first proper frame with a half cover included. The Prince Genesis Power 200 Squash Racket at ₹4,354 and the Head Cyber Elite 2024 Squash Racket at ₹5,849 sit in the club bracket most league players buy from. The Tecnifibre Slash 120 Power Squash Racket at ₹11,999 is the lightweight performance option for players who already know their preferred balance.

Buy a second frame if you play league

Squash strings break at inconvenient times, and league matches do not pause while you re-tension. A second frame — even a cheaper one strung the same way — is the difference between finishing a tie and forfeiting it.

2. Restring, and think about gauge

Squash string is thin. Thinner gauges (17-18) give more feel and bite, and break sooner. Thicker gauges last longer at some cost to touch. For most club players a durable synthetic gut in the middle of the range is right: the Tecnifibre Bob Synthetic Gut 1.25 Squash String at ₹425 is a straightforward single-racket job, while the Head Reflex 16L Squash String at ₹960 is a multifilament that trades some durability for comfort and feel.

If you have had any elbow or shoulder trouble, drop tension a couple of pounds rather than chasing control at high tension.

3. Get your ball grade right

This is the most common mistake in Indian club squash. Players buy double yellow because it is the "proper" ball, then spend the session chasing a ball that never bounces because the court is cold and the rallies are short.

The Dunlop Double Dot Squash Ball at ₹350 is the competition standard and the right ball for league matches. The Head Tournament Squash Ball at ₹183 is a useful practice ball. Keep both in the bag: match ball for matches, livelier ball for coaching and for the first cold sessions of the season.

4. Grip, eyewear and shoes

Replace the overgrip before the first match — squash is a sweat-heavy sport in a small, warm room, and a slick grip changes your wrist position on the drive without you noticing.

Protective eyewear is the item most adult club players skip and should not. A squash ball is small enough to fit the eye socket and travels fast, and rackets clash regularly in a confined court.

Then the shoes. Squash is played on wooden courts with a non-marking gum sole, and grip goes smooth long before the shoe looks worn. Press the sole flat and look for polished patches at the forefoot and heel edge. Court shoes do not transfer from other sports: running shoes lack lateral support, and outdoor soles will mark and slide.

5. Pre-season bag list

  • Two frames, both freshly strung at the same tension
  • Two spare overgrips and a sweatband if you play in humidity
  • Double yellow match balls plus one faster practice ball
  • Protective eyewear and a spare pair of socks
  • Court shoes with usable tread, and a water bottle

Half an hour of pre-season admin in August, and the season is just squash.

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Frequently asked questions

Which squash ball should a club player use?

Ball speed is marked by coloured dots. Double yellow is the slowest and least bouncy, and is the standard competition ball for strong players who can generate their own heat in a rally. Single yellow is slightly livelier, and red or blue dots bounce considerably more and suit beginners and cold courts. Most Indian club players in a league should be on double yellow for matches; use a faster ball for coaching and drills if rallies are dying early.

How often should a squash racket be restrung?

Squash strings are thin and take a beating off the walls and floor, so most regular players restring two to four times a season. Restring when the string bed feels lifeless, when strings have burred visibly, or straight after any break — playing on a partially broken string bed puts uneven load on the frame. A single-racket string job starts at ₹425.

Do I need protective eyewear for squash?

It is strongly recommended and mandatory in many junior and club competitions. A squash ball is small, hard and fast enough to reach the eye socket, and racket clashes in a confined court are common. Polycarbonate squash goggles are inexpensive relative to the injury they prevent — check your club or league regulations, as several Indian clubs now require them for juniors.

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