Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy pull out of Sudirman Cup badminton
Olympians Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will not compete in the men’s doubles in the mixed-team badminton tournament due to medical concerns.
India’s top-ranked badminton pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has withdrawn from the upcoming Sudirman Cup due to medical reasons.
The Chirag-Satwik duo was a part of the 12-member Indian contingent for the upcoming tournament which begins on September 26 in Finland.
The 24-year-old Chirag Shetty is ill, which led to their withdrawal.
This also casts a doubt on the pair’s participation in the Thomas and Uber Cup, to be held right after the Sudirman Cup.
Currently ranked 10 in the world, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy haven’t competed in any event after returning from the Tokyo Olympics.
The two couldn’t make it past the group stage of the men’s doubles at Tokyo 2020, but did beat Chinese Taipei’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin - the eventual gold medallists.
At the upcoming Sudirman Cup, a mixed-team badminton tournament, India have been drawn in Group A with defending champions China, Thailand and hosts Finland.
Former world no. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth will be leading the Indian side in Finland.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu requested to be left out of the squad citing recovery post the Tokyo Olympics.