Satwik-Chirag say remarks after Thomas Cup bronze sparked larger conversation on badminton’s visibility in India

Star men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Thursday said their remarks on the lack of recognition for the country’s historic Thomas Cup triumph were aimed at sparking a larger conversation around badminton’s visibility and appreciation in India.The World No. 4 pair of Satwik and Chirag, also the reigning Asian Games champions, were part of the Indian team that recently claimed a bronze medal at the Thomas Cup in Denmark.The duo had expressed disappointment over the relatively muted reception following India’s landmark Thomas Cup title in 2022 and the team’s bronze-medal finish this year.“I think it was really important for the sport to have a conversation,” Chirag told BWF after entering the quarterfinals of Thailand Open Super 500 in Bangkok.“I was unhappy because of the reception that we got back in 2022. We deserved a much bigger celebration. Nobody would have expected India to win a Thomas Cup gold.“That was the reason behind my comments, but it blew up much more than we expected. There were obviously critics, but there were also a lot of positive reactions. I think that is a very positive sign because the conversation at least started. Hopefully, in the years to come, the sport will become even bigger.”Satwik said the concern was not merely about celebrations but also about badminton struggling for mainstream attention despite major achievements.“People are not watching badminton. That is what we felt like,” Satwik said. “We are wearing India jerseys, but people are more interested in IPL and other things happening around. Even a bronze medal is really tough to win because the level in team events is extremely high.“Nobody expected Indonesia and Korea to be knocked out. I think we came closest to beating China. Had we won the doubles match, the tie could have ended 3-2 in our favour.“There were negatives as well, but more than that I saw almost 90 per cent positive reactions. That is a good sign.”Chirag described team events as “truly special”, saying the emotional highs and pressure make them unique in an individual sport like badminton.“I think team events are truly special for professional players because badminton is largely an individual sport and you don’t get too many opportunities to play as a team. But whenever you do, everybody loves it,” Chirag said.“If you ask players from any country, they will say the same thing. The euphoria, the tension, and the pressure make team events really exciting. I think it is one of the best things about badminton.”Talking about the upcoming Asian Games, Chirag said: “The Asian Games is obviously a very big event. Along with the World Championships, it is one of the major events of the year, and we really want to do well there.”