Indore/Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The latest Gen Z hangout may not have a café table, a movie ticket or a shopping bag. It could have a cricket bat, football boots or a pickleball paddle instead.
Across Indore and Bhopal, sports turfs and pickleball courts are quietly becoming the new social hubs for youngsters. What was once simply a place to play a match is now evolving into an evening-out plan — book a court, call the gang, play for an hour and stay back for the conversations, pictures and laughs.
In Indore, the trend is particularly visible in the growing number of artificial cricket and football turfs. With around 100 such turfs across the city, students and young professionals are increasingly turning to them not just for sport, but also to unwind after college or work.
“People are not booking a turf only to play cricket or football anymore. For many groups, it is about spending time together and making memories,” said Mradul Saxena, owner of Smash Sports Academy.
The appeal is also about convenience. Unlike traditional playgrounds, artificial turfs offer more predictable playing conditions and can remain usable despite changing weather. Some venues have even introduced misting systems to make summer evenings more comfortable.
For 22-year-old Indore resident Yash Mehta, a weekend turf booking has become almost a ritual. “Earlier we would sit in a café for two hours. Now we play cricket for an hour and spend the next hour just talking. It feels more fun and active,” he said.
His friend Aarav Jain, a football enthusiast, said the competitive element makes the outing even more enjoyable. “There is always that one friend who says he is coming only to play casually and then starts taking the match very seriously,” he joked.
Pickleball enters the picture
While cricket and football continue to dominate the turf scene, pickleball has emerged as the sport Gen Z is increasingly curious about.
In Indore, IPS college student Purvi Saha said the sport is quickly gaining popularity among youngsters because it combines a fast pace with a highly social format.
“Pickleball is easy to learn and does not need a huge playing area. That makes it easier for operators to open multiple courts and for groups to play together,” she said.
Nomi Chauhan, who has been following the city's growing pickleball culture, said its biggest advantage is that beginners can join without feeling intimidated. “You don't have to be a trained player. You can learn while playing and still have fun with your friends,” she said.
The same trend is being noticed in Bhopal, where badminton's familiar weekend dominance is facing fresh competition from the small-paddle sport.
Youngsters are increasingly heading to venues such as House of Dink in Rohit Nagar, Pickle Park at Bhojpur Club and The Picklers in Lal Ghati, turning them into spaces where sport and socialising happen together.
For Kavya Sharma, a 21-year-old Bhopal student, pickleball is “half sport, half hangout.” “We book a court, play, click pictures and then decide where to eat. The game becomes the starting point of the evening,” she said.
The Instagram factor is hard to ignore. Bright courts, coordinated sportswear, doubles games, dramatic misses and post-match selfies have made pickleball particularly compatible with the visual, social-media-heavy lifestyle of young players.
And unlike a conventional night out, a game offers an experience without requiring an entire day's schedule.
What does it cost?
In Indore, turf prices generally remain within reach for groups splitting the booking.
Sport Weekday Weekend Night
Cricket ₹1,000/hr ₹1,000–₹1,200/hr ₹1,200/hr
Football ₹1,000–₹1,200/hr Around ₹1,200/hr ₹1,200/hr
Pickleball ₹600/hr Around ₹800/hr ₹600–₹800/hr
In Bhopal, pickleball court bookings generally range between ₹500 and ₹1,000 an hour, depending on the venue and timing.
That makes the mathematics attractive for groups. A ₹1,200 turf split among 10 friends works out to just ₹120 each — often comparable to, or less than, what a youngster might spend on a café outing.
