Sudirman Cup: India faces critical situation against Indonesia amid struggle
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India finds itself in a do-or-die situation at the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals, needing a victory against a powerful Indonesian side on Tuesday to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
After suffering a heavy 1-4 loss to Denmark in their opening Group D encounter, India's path to the knockout stage hangs by a thread, with only the top two teams moving forward.
A defeat would render their final group match against England meaningless.
The team's situation has been worsened by the poor form of key singles players Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and PV Sindhu, all of whom have struggled to find their best touch recently.
However, there are a few positives India can hold on to.
Lakshya Sen has a favorable recent record against Indonesia's top men's singles player Jonatan Christie, having beaten him at both the Paris Olympics and the All England Championships. In women's singles, Sindhu will face Putri Kusuma Wardani, currently ranked world No. 11, a player she has defeated twice in previous meetings. Indonesia’s regular top women's singles player, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, has pulled out of the event, offering India a slight opening.
Despite these advantages in singles, the doubles contests present a major challenge.
Indonesia boasts world-class talent in doubles, with players like Fajar Alfian, Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Leo Rolly Carnando, Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, and Daniel Marthin - all of whom are among the world's top 10. India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty are missing from the tournament, leaving the inexperienced Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi to face the brunt.
In women's doubles, with Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand absent, the relatively new pair of Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra will look to build on their spirited showing against Denmark, India's only bright spot in the opening match. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are set to take on the 21st-ranked Indonesian duo of Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
Earlier this year, India faced a similar disappointment at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao, crashing out in the quarterfinals despite fielding a strong team. They will be desperate to avoid an early exit this time.
Historically, India’s best finishes at the Sudirman Cup have been reaching the quarterfinals in 2011 and 2017. Although the Indian badminton scene has seen significant success recently, with triumphs such as the Thomas Cup victory in 2022 and the Badminton Asia Women's Team Championship title in 2024, injuries and the absence of key players have heavily impacted their campaign this year.