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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty fail to find rhythm, go down 21-10, 23-21 to Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri

Indonesians employed the low flat game that bothered the Indians

3 min readUpdated: Jan 10, 2026 09:54 AM IST

Paris Olympics Badminton Doubles draw satwik chirag

India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty play against Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto during their men's doubles badminton group stage match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Sixth seeded Indonesians Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri kept the shuttle low assiduously and had their reward, as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were thrown off track, losing 21-10, 23-21 in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open on Friday.

It would be considered a scratchy win for the Indonesians, never mind the nature of the score, where they went 5-0 ahead in quick time, as the third seeded Indians struggled to deal with the low serves and the fast front court exchanges Alfian-Fikri ace. While the opener was lost in momentum, as Indians could never recover frim trailing 4-13, it was in the second that the Indians frittered a 17-13 lead while trying to push a decider.

Chirag’s swivel serve resurfaced and the Indian duo admitted the conditions had gotten too windy on Friday, hampering shuttle control. On top of which the Indonesians maintained a flat, compact game where the shuttle was continuously and awkwardly coming at the tall Indians’ necks. By the time Chirag had figured out a way to parry body attacks deftly, the Indians had allowed Alfian-Fikri a whiff of a comeback in Set 2. The Indonesians when peppered with smashing flurries themselves, were defending well (ugly, but gamely) and reached their first match point with a fortuitous net chord tipple.

The Indians were hurried and the loss of the lead put them under pressure as they couldn’t ward off a third match point against the Indonesian scratch pair who both play front-court, and have scalped Top 3 names three times out six.

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Chirag admitted to BWF that the Indians accumulated too many errors. “Didn’t start off that well in the first set. Lot of Mistakes. But fougt back in the second. Had a sizeable lead but we didn’t really convert. All credit to them too. They played a very furious game, we knew that, we couldn’t capitalise,” he said.

Satwik reckoned they failed to strike rhythm. “We started quite well. Rallies were going on. 2-3 points here and there. When we got a chance to attack we did some easy mistakes in first 4 shots so they got to 5-0. If it was 1-2, we could’ve got that rhythm. But once it was 5-0, then again 7-1. Here and there. But it was on our court. We didn’t play accurate. Couldn’t keep discipline. Second game we could stay disciplined, but last phase they were experienced in 1,2,3,4 shots,” he ceded.

Drifty conditions might’ve spoiled their plans at Malaysia, but Satwik said he was looking forward to next week at India Open. “Different stadium. Different atmosphere. There won’t be any drift. There’ll be heaters this time because it’s very cold in Delhi. 0 or 5 degrees. New stadium. That’s where I started playing my first Nationals. So really excited for that,” he said.

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