Satwik and Chirag Withdraw from Sudirman Cup Due to Illness
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Synopsis
The Indian men's doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty has been forced to withdraw from the Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 due to illness. This withdrawal marks a significant loss for the Indian squad as they prepare for the prestigious mixed team championships in Xiamen, China.
Key Takeaways
- Satwik and Chirag miss Sudirman Cup due to illness.
- Indian badminton team includes top players like PV Sindhu.
- The tournament will take place in Xiamen, China.
- India aims to secure a knockout spot in Group D.
- 16 teams will compete in the Sudirman Cup 2025.
New Delhi, April 21 (NationPress) The Indian men's doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will not participate in the upcoming Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 as they are suffering from illness.
The pair, ranked world No. 10, was poised to make their return to competition after a hiatus due to injuries.
In an Instagram update, the Badminton Association of India announced, "Update: Satwik-Chirag ruled out of BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 due to sickness."
The last time Satwik and Chirag competed was at the All England Open Super 1000 last month. Since then, they have been missing from competitions and also withdrew from the Badminton Asia Championships.
This duo, previously ranked world No. 1, is the second Indian pair to exit the prestigious tournament, following the withdrawal of the women’s doubles team Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.
The Indian contingent will now include former world champion PV Sindhu, along with World Championships medallists Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, among others.
The biennial tournament, known as the World Mixed Team Championships, is scheduled to take place in Xiamen, China from April 27 to May 4.
India qualified for this prestigious mixed team event based on their world rankings and will aim to secure a knockout berth from a challenging Group D, which also features former champions Indonesia, two-time runners-up Denmark, and England.
Each tie in the Sudirman Cup consists of five matches: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
A total of 16 teams will compete in the 19th edition of the Sudirman Cup. Four seeded teams were allocated to different groups during the draw, with defending champions and hosts China being the top seeds in Group A.
India’s best achievements in the Sudirman Cup occurred in 2011 and 2017, when they reached the quarter-finals. In the previous edition, India was eliminated in the group stage after suffering defeats to Malaysia and Chinese Taipei.
