“They have a complete game, and are surely going to be the team to watch out for in the next few months,” said Pullela Gopichand when I asked him about Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and how he saw them shaping up in the next year after having won the Indonesian Open Super 1000. “If you check, there are few like them around the world. They have the physical strength to hit the big smashes, they have the defence and age is on their side. They will only get better. And having played in Tokyo and knowing what it is all about, they will surely be one of our best bets for Paris [2024].”
Between 2021 and 2023, Satwik and Chirag have become a force to be reckoned with globally. They had the talent but the belief that they can win on the big stage and have an impact have come in the last one year. Three Super Series titles, the incredible Thomas Cup win and also the Commonwealth Games gold – it has been a fantastic last 12 months for India’s premier doubles pair.
The question is, what is working for them and how can they get even better?
For the longest time, doubles was ignored in Indian badminton. It was all about singles and hardly any real attention was given to doubles. Unlike in some other sports, doubles in badminton is as important and as competitive as singles, and we in India have taken a long time to realise this. In fact, this is where Gopichand made the maximum difference. He was able to convince the country about the importance of doubles, and get the focus back on it so that Satwik and Chirag have all the facilities they need to further improve their game. Mathias Boe, India’s specialist doubles coach, who has been with Satwik and Chirag all through, has made a serious difference to the pair.
I had once asked Gopi what the coach does during critical situations in a game? How does Mathias, or Gopi for that matter, contribute and make a difference? His answer was fascinating. “You are not there to teach them how to play,” he said. “They know it and know it the best. But in the course of a match, you often see things the players don’t see. And that’s where you make a difference. In sum, you help them win. Tell them things they haven’t observed.”
That’s what Boe has been able to do. Make Satwik and Chirag get better at key points. Help them hone their talent and be the best in the world.
Exclusive 🚨@PGopichand73 reacts to Satwik-Chirag’s historic #IndonesiaOpenSuper1000 triumph!! @ThumsUpOfficial @satwiksairaj @Shettychirag04 @BoriaMajumdar #IndonesiaOpen2023 #SatwikChirag #SatChi pic.twitter.com/wkguPWdwn9
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) June 18, 2023
The journey of Sat-Chi, however, isn’t complete. While they have won the French Open Super Series, Asia Championships and the Indonesian Super 1000, it is important to note that they have not yet been able to beat the Minions – Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon – in 11 attempts, and have a 1-8 record against the Malaysian pair of Soh and Chia. In the most recent World Championship semi-final, Satwik and Chirag had their moments. Getting the better of these two teams consistently could well be the final frontier for Chirag and Satwik, and it shouldn’t take too long to achieve this if the Indonesia Open is an yardstick.
What works for them is that they are very different people, and yet very similar. They travel and stay together, and yet their habits and likes and dislikes are profoundly different. While Chirag is outgoing and flamboyant, Satwik, his Istora dance at the end of the match notwithstanding, is an introvert. While Satwik prefers Indian food, Chirag is the opposite and loves his Japanese and other global cuisines.
So how do they manage? They either go to a food court where all options are available or one of them eats first, while the other offers company, and then go to a place where the other gets his preferred food. They have figured out their own ways of backing each other, and it is working well for them.
Most importantly, they are there for each other on bad days. “If you are playing doubles, the first thing is you can’t blame your partner for an off day,” said Gopi. “You win together and you lose together. You need to take it on your chin and move on. Things won’t go well for you everyday and you need to understand that as sportspeople.”
“We know we are different, and that’s how it should be,” said Chirag in a detailed interview a month earlier. “Satwik prefers to do his own thing, while I love going out.” On court, however, they are hardly different. They have now brought aggression to their game and we have seen a very expressive Satwik as well. What was excellent to see was their ability to come back from difficult situations. On multiple occasions, they were able to save game points and come back and win key points to seal a game. And when you are able to do that against different opponents, it shows self-belief and confidence.
As long as Satwik and Chirag are able to maintain their fitness and stay focused, they will surely go to Paris as one of the contenders. For a country starved of Olympic champions, this pair is easily the current big thing in Indian badminton. With India living off Olympic titles, their moment could well come in the very same city where they won their French Open title. In Tokyo, they came close by beating the famed Chinese Taipei pair in the very first match of the competition, and it was sheer bad luck that they had to bow out having won the same number of matches as the two other teams in the group. In fact, the Taipei pair went on to win gold, proof of how close the competition was.
This year and 2024 could well be the time when they dominate world doubles. And get past the final frontier by beating the Minions, now that they have won against the Malaysians. That’s when the journey will come full circle for Satwik and Chirag, a trek that started in earnest some seven years ago, with skills honed at the P Gopichand academy in Hyderabad.
They are two young men living a dream, and focussed on a mission. With serious support coming their way, there is no reason why they won’t be able to fulfil their Olympic aspirations, and give India a first-ever doubles medal in badminton.
Also Read: “We will be Playing for the Flag”: Satwik and Chirag on Sudirman Cup