BWF World Tour commentator: This job 'is a dream come true'

A badminton commentator must possess similar traits as the professional athletes themselves: Be prepared with detailed research, stay focused, sharp and have the ability to improvise when it matters.

Talking about the fastest racquet sport in the world to a global audience comes not only with passion and dedication, but requires a certain skill-set too.

Which is why Jeevan Selvanathan, who has been BWF World Tour commentator since 2022, told Stadium Astro his dream came true when he landed this role.

The 53-year-old had worked with broadcasting giants such as ESPN and BBC, and previously commentated at the 2014 Thomas Cup which paved the way for him to become a regular badminton commentator.

“My first sports gig was the squash championship in KL back in 2011, and from there I ended up doing commentary for 19 different sports over the next six years.

“In my experience, badminton commentary is all about the rhythm and speed of the sport itself. It happens week in week out all year round, so you need to be razor sharp and really responsive with the production team and crew.

“For a badminton commentator, you need to commit yourself to a 12-hour shift at minimum. My day starts at 6am, followed by breakfast at 7am, before I take the shuttle to the tournament venue. Rehearsals and sound checks start at 8am and we go live at 9am. So it’s military grade punctuality, you need to stay focused,” he said.

In his years of commentary, Jeevan says the best shot he’s seen came at the Thomas & Uber Cup.

“A player hit a reverse, no-look return. He did this while staring at his coach, and his shot was flat and hit the line. It was pure muscle memory instinct.”

While he talks about his subject matter on a daily basis, getting recognition from the players is definitely a perk.

“They tell me they like tuning in. It is nice to have them watching and also promoting you through the clips. I am in awe of them, they are some of the fittest athletes I’ve seen, so determined and disciplined.

Jeevan also speaks highly of famed commentator Gillian Clark.

“She’s such a nice person, you can learn easily and she makes it easy to be part of the team by always checking in on you.”

Fans listening to Jeevan and Gillian may harbour hopes on being behind the microphone themselves one day.

Jeevan explains that while the job is worth it, the sacrifice that goes into requires effort.

“You have to be on standby all year, including weekends and Public Holidays. This can be hard. Also, some may think it’s a fame job, and they prepare towards that goal. You cannot distract your mind with irrelevant matters such as chasing personal social media numbers. It’s a team effort, and you have to play your part perfectly, every day.”