Delhi, 3rd September, 2025: Hudle, India’s largest sports community platform, today announced the launch of India’s first ever player rating and scoring system GRIP (Game Rating Index for Players). GRIP, a skill-based rating system for racket sports, is designed as a 1–7 scale based on real match results, enabling players to track their progress, compete at the right skill level, and bring clarity to a space where classifications like “beginner” or “intermediate” were previously ambiguous. The system is powered by a proprietary algorithm that allows players of pickleball, padel and badminton to find suitable matches, track their scores and showcase their skills with credibility.
Hudle is also backed by a strong advisory group of sports icons and media personalities who are helping amplify its mission. Former Indian Cricket Team Captain Ajinkya Rahane, who has been associated with Hudle since the early days, is joined by Mahesh Bhupathi (Grand Slam Champion & Padma Shri Awardee) and Gaurav Kapur (renowned television presenter), both of whom came on board as investors and advisors during Hudle’s most recent fundraise. Together, they continue to lend their support in driving awareness for initiatives like GRIP and strengthening Hudle’s growing sporting community.
Hudle’s mission is to make sport accessible across Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, driven by its core ethos of ensuring that no player is left behind.
Commenting on the development, Suhail Narain, Founder & CEO, Hudle, said, “At Hudle, our vision has always been to make sport a way of life for every Indian. Today, over 1.5 million players across 80 cities use Hudle to book and play regularly. With GRIP, we are solving a very real gap in racket sports by giving players a measurable and trusted system to track their skills and progress. This is the first step in building a full-stack sporting ecosystem that covers everything from finding nearby venues, playing in professional leagues and tracking your progress seamlessly through GRIP.”
Ajinkya Rahane, Former Indian Cricket Captain and an investor in Hudle, adds, “Sports have always been an integral part of who I am. My journey in professional cricket has given me the privilege to make an impact beyond the field, and supporting Hudle is an extension of that endeavour. As a country, we must find ways to weave sports into our everyday lives, because it plays a vital role in our overall well-being. Today, with the right formats and infrastructure in place, we have the opportunity to step out, play together, and foster vibrant, healthy communities. Hudle’s latest innovation, GRIP, is a testament to their relentless efforts in shaping this category, and I’m excited to see Hudle become synonymous with building active sporting communities across India.”
The launch of GRIP is accompanied by a nationwide campaign and brand film to showcase the rating & scoring system and how it will elevate the playing experience for recreational players.
Watch the brand film here: https://youtu.be/
The company will also be introducing a GRIP Ambassador Programme, which will allow regular players of Pickleball, Padel and Badminton to represent GRIP, educate other players and earn exclusive perks.
Hudle continues to grow rapidly with 15 Lakh+ players across 80 cities. The company has raised INR 35 Crore in funding to date and is focused on deepening its presence in existing cities while expanding into newer Tier 1, Tier 2 and select Tier 3 markets.