NEW DELHI: Star Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have announced their withdrawal from the upcoming Badminton Asia Championships in the men's doubles category. Satwik is currently recuperating from a shoulder injury, prompting the pair to opt out of the tournament.
In April of last year, Satwik and Chirag made history by clinching the men's doubles title at the Asia Badminton Championships in Dubai. This victory marked a significant milestone for Indian badminton, as they became the first Indian pair since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to achieve this feat.
Despite their remarkable achievements this season, including a victory at the French Open Super 750 and two runner-up finishes, Satwik and Chirag have decided to prioritise Satwik's recovery and hence, have withdrawn from the Badminton Asia Championships.
"It is not a new injury, it is something which happens due to overuse of the shoulder and Satwik is already on the road to recovery. They are still training but the intensity is little less. So, looking at the bigger picture, they decided to withdraw," a source in the know of things told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"They have been consistently playing the finals and in a way they are lucky that it didn't crop up during major events. So it is a good time to address the issue. They are elite athletes and need to choose events wisely, they shouldn't rush things."
Satwik's right shoulder injury, which has plagued him in the past, has resurfaced, prompting concerns about his fitness. Despite his previous recovery from this recurrent injury, the strain seems to have returned after the European leg of this season's badminton tournaments.
Nevertheless, Satwik and Chirag's achievements in the men's doubles category have been nothing short of remarkable. They have now spent 10 consecutive weeks as the world number one pair, surpassing the previous record held by Saina Nehwal.
Their impressive track record includes winning the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, securing gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Asia Championships, as well as clinching gold at the 2023 Asian Games. Additionally, they were part of the victorious Indian team at the 2022 Thomas Cup and emerged as champions at the 2023 Indonesia Super 1000 and Korea Open.
Despite Satwik's injury setback, both players have been named in India's formidable Thomas Cup team. The team is gearing up to defend their title at the upcoming Thomas Cup tournament in China, scheduled to commence from April 27.
"Thomas Cup remains an important event and they will be back for the prestigious tournament as we are the defending championships," the source said.
The withdrawal of the top pair means HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will now lead India's charge at the prestigious tournament.
(With PTI inputs)
