Could a sub-optimal, discomfiting but essential Plan B be deployed for a win? That was the question posed to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty throughout their first set of the Thailand Open Super 500. They lost the battle 19-21, but won the war, 22-20, 21-16 for a 82 minute three-set tussle that gave them their first final of the season. Like lightening, the light of the win followed the sound of noise of the past fortnight.
Plan B implied, allowing former World No 1s – now No 9, Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izuddin to dictate the opening moves like in a chess game: the battle confined to flat, fast net exchanges, where the Indians would be starved of lifts, to smash down. A taut, tense front and midcourt war-theatre, where the Indians would necessarily need to defend Goh’s jump smashes if an errant lift ballooned up.
Out of their comfort zone, it would also mean Satwik playing front court, and Chirag manning the back – an adapting measure that’s necessary to be trained for in contingencies, but not ideal. Plan B, a self inflicted pressure-test started badly – 9-15 down. But then the Indians got past the criss-cross maze where they had to operate from a bending position. Not quite crouching tigers, more like scrambling rabbits, the two tall 6 foot upwards shuttlers need to urgently speak to India’s finest wrestlers or even Leander Paes to get that front court attacking crouch-squat stance right. But they have worked hard enough on the problem already and took 7 of the next 10 points by opening up the court a tad to reach 16-18. Chirag’s round the head thereafter didn’t connect, and Satwik, not very sharp on the day, watched the tape return the shuttle on his court. 19-21, the first set was lost.
But Satwik-Chirag have not reached World No 1 (they are No 4 currently), by giving up. Problem-solving is now second-nature to them and their coaching team, which astutely had Manu Attri, a chameleon of a front & back court former Olympian, a Meerut man who properly understands the Malaysian-Indonesian way of front court sorcery, along with coach Tan who can untangle the flat-exchange gameplan.
Satwik-Chirag Stage stunning comeback to seal Thailand Open 2026 final berth. (Badminton Photo)
Early in the second set with the Indians still grappling with the stock Malaysian model, at 4-6 down, Satwik-Chirag went on a 5-point surge. Dipping the shuttle to disrupt the parallels, they starred forcing lifts out of Goh-Nur. It really is all that the Indians need to drop the defensive cloak and toggle to attack. It went to 16-16, but Chirag was breaking the shackles. He even reviewed a faulted serve and won.
His childhood coach Uday Pawar had once told Chirag bluntly that even if the duo were getting better at defense, they must not push it, and pretend they will win matches on retrieves. By instinct, the Indians are attackers, and must back their strength. Satwik was erring on lengths, but Chirag stayed sturdy and smashed at every opportunity to break away to 19-16. Nervy rallies followed to 20-20, but the decider was earned when Satwik clutched up with a brilliant tall flat cross from backcourt.
Once released from the chains of forecourt flats, the Indians were well on their way in the third. Chirag, whose swivel serve and ‘Huudd’ exhales are reassuringly back, still logged a high serve error, and a long rally ended with net tape drama as the shuttle clipped and tumbled onto Malaysian side. But the Indians had their first final of 2026, second in two years at Thailand. They have won twice at Bangkok, and also were crowned Thomas Cup champions in the city.
Story continues below this ad
While Chirag drew his motivation from how well the Indians defended even after lifting, and moved the Malaysians around, Satwik explained why the flat game played by shorter players is troublesome. It’s a lesson learnt the hard way from losing to Minions early in their career and to Aaron-Soh at the Olympics.
“Malaysians and Indonesians always want to dominate the net. They don’t want us to play back court. Goh-Nur had the upper hand at the net that’s how they started first game. They were controlling front and mid court. They’re quite skillful with their hands at the net and being short guys they use net skills. We are tall and need to bend, and play tight shots to get there. For them it’s very easy… it’s tactical,” he told the BWF.
Goh-Nur acceded that the higher temp the Indians switched to, broke their back. “They increased pace and kept attacking. And put pressure on us. And we cannot sustain that. The attacking was too strong… we couldn’t overcome,” they told BWF.
“Job not done yet,” was Satwik’s verdict to BWF, while Chirag accepted, “Slowly we are getting better, we are playing well in patches.”
Story continues below this ad
The Indians play Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin, Indonesian 24 year olds, who the they haven’t faced since 4 victories over them in 2023. Marthin is a 6 footer himself, and their speed and tricks will be a challenge. But ‘Working Sundays’ is what they play badminton for.
