India’s Thomas Cup Defense Stumbles Against Indonesia
India’s Thomas Cup defense hit a roadblock as they succumbed to a 1-4 defeat against Indonesia in their final Group C tie. Despite qualifying for the quarter-finals, the defending champions were given a wake-up call ahead of the knockouts.
HS Prannoy emerged as a bright spot for India, showcasing his readiness for the upcoming challenges. The Indian No.1 overcame health concerns to pull off a come-from-behind victory over world No.7 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.
The first doubles match proved to be a nail-biter, with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty narrowly losing to Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana after saving 12 match points.
Lakshya Sen fought valiantly against reigning All England and Asian champion Jonatan Christie, but ultimately fell short in a three-game thriller. The defeat gave Indonesia the lead in the tie.
India’s hopes of an upset in the second doubles were dashed as Dhruv Kapila and K Sai Pratheek lost to world No.13 Leo Carnando and Daniel Martin.
In the third singles, Kidambi Srikanth squandered two match points before losing to Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.
Despite the setback, India remains confident heading into the quarter-finals, where they will face hosts China. The Indian women’s team, meanwhile, will take on Japan in the Uber Cup quarter-final on Thursday.
