Thomas & Uber Cup Highlights: Lakshya, SatChi win thrillers as India beat Thailand 4-1; Ashmita leads win vs Canada

India's men and women's teams got off to winning starts in their respective groups at the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals. Ashmita Chaliha's win over former top-10 Michelle Li was the headline result of the day, while Anmol Kharb continued her run of winning the fifth matches of a team event. India defeated Canada 4-1, with the solitary defeat coming in second doubles tie. The Thomas Cup champions were, however, made to work hard by a young Thailand side. World Champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated HS Prannoy. Then Satwik-Chirag, Lakshya Sen won three-game thrillers before Dhruv-Arjun clinched the tie. Srikanth Kidambi made it 4-1 in the end in the smoothest win of the day. 

Indian women will be back in action at 6.00 am IST on Sunday as they take on Singapore with a quarterfinals spot on the line. 

The jump drop mixed with the leaping clears are slowly gentrifying Isharani Baruah’s wild, untamed, no-care-in-the world free jump smash. Big cities like Bangalore tend to do that, but perhaps the dashing teenager from Dibrugarh in Assam, needs the sophistication of mixing fast drops and half smashes and clears with the dizzy airborne smash, to sustain her badminton.

To follow our liveblog of the Thomas and Uber Cup, click here: Thomas and Uber Cup live

Isharani started with a comfortable straight sets win against Canada playing second singles in the Uber Cup where India has fielded a callow bunch of girls – not yet women – in the absence of PV Sindhu, who opted out.

But for Isharani, the crazyball who dives and bounces about the court with energy, a la Akane Yamaguchi, this Uber Cup might be the rare international top flight sighting of the jump smash – before it gets nuanced, tempered and disciplined. Though you hope it doesn’t altogether disappear.

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And the lineup is here already for India vs Singapore, Sunday morning 6.00 am IST (Corrected). Ashmita Chaliha will face a tough ask against Yeo Jia Min but India will be favourites rest of the matches. Win assures QF spot. The men are not in action on Sunday.

WS1: Ashmita Chaliha vs Yeo Jia Min

WD1: Priya Konjengbam - Shruti Mishra vs Xiao En Heng - Jin Yu Jia

WS2: Isharani Baruah vs Insyirah Khan

WD2: Simran Singhi - Ritika Thaker vs Yi Ting Elsa Lai - Zan Michelle

WS3: Anmol Kharb Vs Lee Xin Yi Megan

...and you could say, India's story today in Chengdu: All 4-1, 1-4 all.

And in all seriousness, these two results (coming directly against rivals for top two spots) essentially all but assures a place in the top two in their respective groups. 

It's a winning start for the defending champions but the 4-1 scoreline doesn't quite convey how hard they were made to work by a young Thailand team who fought the good fight until the end. Except Srikanth's stroll in the end, no win came easy. 

INDIA WIN THE TIE 4-1: The defending champions are off to a winning start and Srikanth Kidambi extends his winning run at the Thomas Cup, after going 6 out of 6 in Bangkok. A match he was expected to dominate, and dominate he did. Big smile in the end from the veteran, he loves a good team event win. 

A lovely slice drop winner from Srikanth and soon enough match points galore. 

No let up in intensity from Srikanth, a fine flick of the wrist for a backhand crosscourt that catches Jamsri off guard. Big lead for the Indian veteran at the interval. Thailand's challenge in this tie, which has been solid so far, is fizzling out in the end. 

Good shot quality from Srikanth again, drawing Jamsri forward and reacting well to a push at his body. A run of 8 straight points is finally over. 

That's a Srikanth special. Hold and flick to Jamsri's deep forehand corner. Lovely deception and he makes it 3-3. Now into the lead, the Indian. Makes it 5-3 with a nice round-the-head smash. Back in control of the proceedings. 

Little bit of a fight at the start of the 2nd game from Jamsri. 

Comfortable opening game for Srikanth. Meanwhile Indonesia clinched their tie 5-0 against England and will take the top spot at the end of the first matches.

Solid from Srikanth in the opening game. It was 4-4 to start off but Srikanth started pulling away from there. And 1 game point is all he needs. And good to see Srikanth pumped up even in a dead rubber, something that Kashyap has been trying to drill into the former world No 1.

Time now for the third singles match, even though India have clinched the tie. Kidambi Srikanth vs Saran Jamsri (Srikanth is 25 vs Jamsri is 160) to close things out. Another big gulf in rankings, and Srikanth – on paper – is heavy favourite. The former world No 1 of course. 

It was also important for Dhruv-Arjun to step up and win this today. MD2 is where teams will try to target India deeper into the tournament, so it's important they won. 

INDIA CLINCH THE MATCH & THE TIE! Dhruv puts away a smash after a fine serve return from Arjun and the second Indian doubles pair deliver India the tie-clinching point. That, in all essence, seals India's path to the quarterfinals (with England beatable). The top spot will now come down to India and Indonesia as expected. (Getting ahead of ourselves but yeah that's how important it was to win this tie).

One match point saved by Punpanich-Sothon. Make that two as Dhruv sends a return long. Looseing up, the nerves evident.

Arjun does what Arjun best as he puts one away at the net. 'Stay focussed here,' is Boe's message as the Thai get the serve back. And the Indians have 7 match points soon after. 

Dhruv with a good third shot winner at the net. And once more the Indians read the 1-2-3 well, another winner by Dhruv on the third shot. Looking good for the win now. 

Medical timeout called by Punpanich, who seems to have a cut on his arm. Can't play on with blood as per the rules. 

Arjun with a good smash from backcourt and then Dhruv kills it from the net. Next point, another push goes long. A series of errors on the backline from the Thai duo in this game. The Indians on the verge of clinching the tie. 

Applause from Boe and that is a really good point. "That's it nice, really good defence!" comes the yell of appreciation from the Danish coach as the Indians play a fine point to sneak back ahead. Make that 2 points ahead as another shot goes long. More validation from Boe. Rinse and repeat. Another good pressure point from the Indians to force the shuttle long once more. 

Absolutely anyone's game still. A fabulous slow drop winner floors Arjun and the Thai duo take a 1-point lead into the interval. 

Oh Punpanich with a crazy good piece of defence to send back a shot aimed at his midriff. The Thai duo take that point to close the gap, then a service return error from Arjun. 

"Super," is the call from the coaching bench as the Indians win a nice rally. Arjun with a lovely deceptive hold-and-flick to the backcourt mid-rally there at 4-6. The Indians keep a three-point lead. 

What a rally. Super flat exchange and both pairs strong in defence but the point eventually goes to the Thai pair, Who have closed the gap down to 1. 

A good start to the 2nd game for the Indian duo. 

Dhruv does it. First a super defensive forehand block at full stretch. And then he scrambles to the other side to nail a round-the-head smash. The Indians hold their nerves. "Be a little more aggressive on receiving, be more aggressive on shot no 2 to set up shot  No 4," says Boe. 

Everything to play for at 19-19. And Dhruv's smash is powerful enough for the return to go long. A futile challenge. Game point for the Indians! 

Arjun from the backcourt! Not his forte but his smash is good enough to not come back over. Chirag Shetty loved that on the Indian bench. Good diving get by Arjun next rally but the Thai duo win the point with Punpanich's smash down the middle. 

And the Indians have drawn level! As we said earlier today, around this point is when most top level men's doubles games get decided. Anybody's game at the moment. 

The Thai duo move ahead by 2 again. This is nervy stuff. 

What a point! Dhruv and Arjun were superb in defence, especially the latter who kept sending the shuttle back despite the relentless attack from the Thai pair. And in the end he is sharp enough to dodge a smash and it goes long, as shown in the review. The Thai thought it brushed Arjun's body but no fault given. 

Meanwhile in the other match in the group of death, Indonesia have taken a 4-0 lead against England. 

Errors creeping into the Indian game, a few errors in this phase. The Thai pair retake the lead. 

Good work from Dhruv at the backcourt, taking the pace off and then injecting some with a smash. It has been really tight though and just about the Indians take the lead. 

What a rally. One of the longer ones we will see today in doubles. Good pressure from the Thai duo pays off as Dhruv-Arjun were on the backfoot for the most part. And soon enough, we are level. 

As the Thai duo closed in, a nice backhand winner from Dhruv.

The pressure of keeping pace with the giant strides of World No.1s, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, isn’t particularly daunting for India’s No.2 doubles pairing of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila. For Arjun, returning from injury and with shaky confidence, the last few months had felt tentative.

“It’s because of the sort of human beings Satwik and Chirag are. They might be No.1 but they always understand what we are going through when we win or lose. After we won the title at Uganda, Satwik came up to me and said ‘Arju bhai, back to winning ways’. He was so happy for us,” Arjun recalls.

“I guess we’ve struck form at the right time with the Thomas Cup coming up,” he added. The 2022 bunch still retains a WhatsApp group called ‘World Champions’, according to Arjun, and he says they carry the belief of that tag every time they step onto the court.

It was a difficult time for both, as Dhruv was eager to resume, and Arjun was adamant he would regain complete fitness before playing at a high level – which would take time. “I totally understood Dhruv’s impatience, because he wasn’t getting to play. He would keep messaging, asking how are you, when will you be back. To be honest it irritated me a lot, because I was out of answers. But it was tough for us both,” he recalls. 

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Strong start from the Indian duo. They have had tough time on the tour since the last Thomas Cup (and the world championships in Tokyo) but have shown signs of getting back to some good form recently. 

MR Arjun - Dhruv Kapila take on Tanadon Punpanich - Wachirawit Sothon. India once again ranked higher in this tie (41 vs 96), but the Thai pair have been as high as 53 in the world (and the Indians too have been in the top 20 for that matter)

That celebration in the end, and some of the roars in Game 3, were evidence enough of the pressure he was put under. There is a reason this group has been dubbed the Group of Death. It's been three fabulous games for the most part today. 

Lakshya Sen was made to work hard and he puts India in the lead! Spread his arms wide and does a little jig in the end as he responds to the cheers of his teammates. The beauty of the team event, that a 19yo ranked well below his opponent could produce such a performance but Lakshya finds his game just in time in the end. India in the lead. 

Oh that's unfortunate for Panitchaphon, who does superbly on defence to stay in the point but Lakshya eventually draws the error out. Four match points for Lakshya. 

Panitchaphon misses a backhand crosscourt and Lakshya is once again close to the finish line. 

Similar to the error Lakshya made a while back, Panitchaphon misses one at the net. But a big winner from the lefty to make it level again. "Patience patience" is the yell from the Indian bench. Lakshya nails a good smash. A good rally follows, and boom, Lakshya with another signature smash winner. That's been missing for a while! 

Panitchaphon has caught up! And Lakshya comes up with a booming smash winner, followed by a good kill at the net, to inch back into the lead. And then there is a complete airshot from the Indian as he looks up to the ceiling as if cursing the drift. The Thai has caught up once again... Lakshya under pressure once again. 

Lakshya win back-to-back errors at the net on his forehand side! Oh dear, it's tight again. 

It is from the near side that Panitchaphon troubled Lakshya in Game 2. So he'd be hoping for more of the same. Lakshya paid the price for playing passive from the far side to account for the drift, needs to fix that now. Already good signs for the Thai. 

A big 'Come on!' as Lakshya takes a 11-7 lead into the final change of ends. From here on, it would be a case of keeping his composure. 

Lakshya with a big crosscourt jump smash and he is now bouncing around on the court. 

Momentum certainly with Lakshya now and the Indian hench have found their voice too. A huge roar from Lakshya as he puts away a down-the-line smash and it as much a release of frustration as a celebration as he goes into a lead. Make that a 2-point lead now. 

Plenty of advice from DK Sen and Guru in the break there, largely telling Lakshya that his game is fine for the most part just needs to avoid being passive. 

Wow, wow, wow. Lakshya led 18-11 at one point and the finish line was in sight but Panitchaphon pulls off a stunning turnaround to force a decider. A lapse of focus for Lakshya, his shots lost the sting for a few minutes and that was enough. The world No 105 has kept this tie alive. More treatment on his calf now though, so maybe Lakshya will have the physical edge still. 

Oh no, that's a bad miss for Lakshya! Panitchaphon has a game point as the Indian misses a backhand kill at the net. Challenge used up by Lakshya. 

A much-needed winner at the net for Lakshya but Panitchaphon draws level shortly after! What a turnaround. 

Is there a twist in the tale? Lakshya can be guilty of these lapses in focus where he loses a clutch of points. Another brilliant rally follows after the medical break. And Panitchaphon takes the brutal exchange with a brilliant backhand crosscourt winner that floors Lakshya! Just one point in this game. 

Lapse of concentration from Lakshya here and he knows it too, as he tries to loosen himself up. A brilliant run of points for the Thai left-hander, and it is a 2-point game out of nowhere! A smash winner from Panitchaphon. And looks like Lakshya is needing some medical attention. It's for Panitchaphon for his left calf.