India’s premier badminton doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty took to social media to post an explosive message after their Thomas Cup bronze medal triumph. India had an impressive campaign in the competition but had to settle for bronze after losing to France in the semi-final. There was no major fanfare around their departure or return to the country after winning the medals. Satwik and Chirag posted two pictures of the squad on their Instagram stories along with the message – “Back home now. As usual, no one knows what happened over the past two weeks, and it seems like no one really cares.”
Both the badminton stars did not provide any additional explanations regarding their post, but it went viral on social media, with many users discussing what the message could potentially mean.
Earlier, HS Prannoy reflected on India’s bronze medal finish at the Thomas Cup campaign, saying it will stay with him for a long time. “This one stays with me. For a long, long time. Not just the medal, but everything around it. The build-up, the energy in the group, the belief we kept feeding each other. Those last few days… hard to put into words. Just pure emotion. Grateful for this. Truly,” Prannoy, who was part of the 2022 winning team, wrote on X.
Add image caption here
At this year’s tournament, India’s run came to an abrupt halt at the Forum Horsens, where a depleted side struggled to match a clinical French unit that scripted history by reaching their maiden final. The absence of Lakshya Sen, who was ruled out with an elbow injury ahead of the semifinal, proved a significant blow to India’s chances.
Ayush Shetty, stepping up as the first singles player, went down to world No. 4 Christo Popov 11-21, 9-21 as France took an early lead. Srikanth Kidambi then battled hard against World No. 10 Alex Lanier but fell short 16-21, 18-21, leaving India on the brink.
Prannoy, entrusted with keeping India’s hopes alive, fought valiantly in the third singles against World No. 17 Toma Junior Popov. Despite a spirited effort, he lost 19-21, 16-21 as France sealed a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
India’s journey to the semifinals had already secured them a podium finish, marking only the second time they reached the last four in Thomas Cup history, after their historic title triumph in 2022.
(With IANS inputs)
Featured Video Of The Day
Tushar Deshpande’s Brilliant Final Act Ensures Thrilling Win For RR Over Gujarat Titans
Topics mentioned in this article
