Padel Sport

Your First Padel Kit in India (2026): What to Buy Before You Book a Court

Courts are opening well beyond Mumbai and Bengaluru. Here is what a first padel kit actually costs in India, and what to skip.

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— 4 min read
Puma Nova Padel Pro padel racket for beginners on new courts in India

Padel in India's tier-2 cities: what a beginner actually needs in 2026

Padel has moved past the novelty stage in India. Industry estimates put the country at roughly 500 courts, up from 80 to 100 in 2023, with dozens of new venues opening in the first months of 2026 alone and a player base approaching 100,000. The growth story has shifted too: it started in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and is now showing up in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where a single new court can create a local scene almost overnight.

If a court has just opened near you and you are booking your first hour, here is what to buy, what to borrow and what to ignore.

What does it cost to start playing padel in India?

Padel is India's priciest racket sport by court hire — roughly three times pickleball and four times tennis on a per-hour basis in most cities. Gear, though, is not the expensive part if you buy sensibly. A workable first kit is a beginner-friendly racket, court shoes, a can of balls and a bag, and most new players spend far less than they expect.

  • Racket: ₹6,000 to ₹9,000 for a genuine beginner frame
  • Balls: about ₹750 a can, shared across a group
  • Shoes: ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 for a padel-specific pair, or use flat court shoes at first
  • Bag: optional until you own more than one racket

Choosing your first padel racket

Beginners want a round-shaped head, a soft EVA core and a weight around 355 to 365 grams. Round rackets put the sweet spot in the middle of the face, which is exactly where a new player hits the ball. Diamond-shaped rackets move the balance towards the tip for smash power and are unforgiving until your technique settles.

The Puma Nova Padel Pro WMN Padel Racket (₹6,499) is a reasonable entry point at a price that does not sting if you decide padel is not for you. Do not spend ₹20,000 on a control frame you cannot yet feel the difference on.

Shoes: the one piece worth taking seriously

Padel is played on artificial grass with sand infill, and the movement is short, sharp and lateral with a lot of stopping. Running shoes are the wrong tool — they are built to roll forward, not to hold a sideways slide. A padel or clay-court shoe with a herringbone or omni sole grips and releases predictably on sand. The Asics Sonicsmash FF Padel Shoes (₹11,899) and Babolat Movea Padel Shoes (₹8,049) are both built for that surface.

Balls and bag

Padel balls look like tennis balls but are slightly lower in pressure, which changes the bounce off the glass. Use padel-specific balls such as the Volt Premium Padel Balls Can (₹749) rather than old tennis balls. Once you own a racket you care about, a padded bag like the Babolat Court S Bag (₹6,299) protects the frame in the back of a car boot — a bigger risk to rackets than any smash.

Padel vs pickleball: which should a new city try?

The two sports get compared constantly in India because both arrived on the same wave of social racket sports, but they solve different problems. Pickleball needs less space, less specialist gear and almost no coaching to start, which is why it has spread faster into schools, apartment complexes and corporate leagues. Padel needs a purpose-built glass court and costs more per hour, but the walls give it a rally length and tactical depth that keeps players coming back.

If your city has just got one court of each, try both before buying anything. Rackets are not interchangeable — a padel racket is solid with perforations and no strings, while a pickleball paddle is thinner and lighter — so a shared kit bag is not an option.

First-session tips for new Indian courts

  • Book with three other people; padel is doubles-only in practice
  • Most new venues rent rackets for the first session — try before you buy
  • Learn the back wall early; letting the ball rebound is the whole game
  • Play early morning or after 7pm in most Indian cities; midday on an outdoor court is brutal

Shop the gear

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to start playing padel in India?

A beginner racket runs about ₹6,000 to ₹9,000, padel balls about ₹750 a can and padel-specific shoes about ₹8,000 to ₹12,000. Court hire is the larger ongoing cost, and padel courts in India typically cost around three times a pickleball court and four times a tennis court per hour.

What kind of padel racket should a beginner buy?

Look for a round head shape, a soft EVA core and a weight around 355 to 365 grams. Round rackets place the sweet spot in the centre of the face, which is more forgiving for new players than diamond-shaped power frames.

Can I play padel in running shoes?

It is not advisable. Padel courts are artificial grass with sand infill and the movement is lateral with hard stops, so you want a padel or clay-court sole with a herringbone or omni pattern. Running shoes grip unpredictably on sand and offer little lateral support.

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