Lakshya’s retrieving, Srikanth’s silken strokes and Chirag-Satwik’s power play: The shots that defined India’s Thomas Cup matches

Thomas Cup Final: The clutch of points were all about finding the right nuanced placement and not bullying speed as such.

Written by Shivani Naik

Mumbai | Updated: May 18, 2022 10:18 AM IST

4 min read

Indian men's badminton team poses with the trophy after winning the Thomas Cup, in Bangkok, Thailand. (PTI Photo)

At 22-21, Srikanth’s signature one-two

Out celebrating at dinner, Kidambi Srikanth was in no mood to reflect on the highpoint of the titanic battle of the Thomas Cup campaign. Asked his favourite shot, aside from the winning point that is, he picked the penultimate one – “because that brought me match point” – he would say, joining in the merriment with his teammates. But 22-21 in the second had indeed been the signature Srikanth Dubstep.

In a sparse rally, Srikanth amped up the pace for a near-kill which would have sufficed on its own. But the likes of Jonatan Christie get under the smash invariably. It’s in the follow-up charge to the net that the opponent is far too spent to raise arms for yet another incoming bamboozler. It is Srikanth’s confidence shot, it’s regal in its execution, and stomping in its aftereffect. On the day, it brought Srikanth the match point after being 19-20 down and a decider looming. A third set is always fraught with energy reserves dipping and in a team event. Srikanth has never been a dawdler, and finishing in 2, asserting his class is his nature. Christie doesn’t get frazzled much. But the setup that fetched him the championship point left him deflated. A crosscourt smash that followed didn’t even need the driving-in of the knife. A poke drew blood, and India had a maiden Thomas Cup travelling on a flight back home.

At 14-13, smash that helps Lakshya nose ahead

The shuttle clipped the tape and fell on Anthony Ginting’s side to give Lakshya Sen a slight edge at 14-13 in the decider. Luck ought to favour the brave, goes the saying. Sen had earned his luck with relentless defense that prolonged rallies and punctured Ginting’s hopes in a way the defending champion wasn’t prepared for. Sen had done the hard work of defending from four corners, and for a player like Ginting, this cancelling of his attack with such bullheadedness was beginning to grate.

Sen started again the next point, maintaining a medium rhythm in his retrieves, before he let rip the kill against run of play. It was an accelerated down smash that hurried the pace mid-rally and gave him the 15-13 to nose ahead. The explosive attack on the back of a harp of a defense was too much for the speed at top gear Ginting.

Down four match points, Chirag-Satwik unleash power game

It was a black swan event – a moment in badminton time in history that was so unwarranted, so unexpected that it left a shadow or sadness on the Indonesian contingent that will not easily go away. Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, half of the legendary Minions, losing a Thomas Cup final rubber from 4 match points is unheard of. That the Indians Satwik Chirag chipped away at Indonesian confidence, at their self image even, at what is at the core of their strength, and superbly executed with the building of pressure by the Indians, was the turning point of the final which ended in a disbelieving 3-0 result. The clutch of points were all about finding the right nuanced placement and not bullying speed as such. At 17-18 Kevin Sanjaya had the most confident smash grazing the line pointing to accuracy and control. In the next few minutes, Indians incited anarchy. Satwik left shyness behind, and uncoiled his powergame.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

Tags:

Chirag Shetty Kidambhi Srikanth Lakshya Sen Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Thomas Cup