In attack mode: Satwik-Chirag train their eyes on the Asian Games

Satwiksiraj Rankireddy (left) and Chirag Shetty won the China Masters Super 750 title after defeating China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in a three-game thriller in Shenzhen, China. (PTI Photo) A day after becoming the first Indian pair to win the China Masters title, Satwiksiraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty now set their sights on the Asian Games to defend the men’s doubles gold they won in 2023.The pair remain the only Indian shuttlers to have won gold at the Asian Games, but Chirag insists there is no further pressure to repeat the feat. “We want to go there and do what we normally do on the court. If we are able to do that, I think we will go deep into the tournament and that’s the only thing we want,” Chirag said during a virtual interaction organized by the Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Monday.“We don’t want to think too much about the results. If we put the results aside and take it one game at a time, that’s when we play the best we can.”The Indians head into the Continental Games in ominous form, riding on their thrilling win in Shenzhen.Chirag believes the pair’s biggest challenges will come from the two contrasting styles. He rated Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae as the best defensive combination on the circuit, while world champions Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China remain the most potent attacking pair, albeit a notch below the Indians.“Besides us, I think Liang and Wang are the best attackers. When it comes to defense, it’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae,” Chirag said.He also acknowledged that his own defensive game still has room for improvement.“I have added some new aspects to my defense but there is still a lot to do,” he said.Kim and Seo, who won 11 titles last year, started 2026 in equally dominant fashion, winning three straight titles before Satwik and Chirag ended their streak with a semi-final victory at the Singapore Open on 31 May.Since then, the Korean world No. 1 pair have endured a lean spell, failing to win a title in their next six tournaments. Their slump also included a first-round exit at the China Masters, where the Indians went on to lift the trophy.However, the plan remains unchanged for Satwik and Chirag. Even with their attacking play neutralized, Satwik says there is no alternative approach. “It’s always plan A – there’s no plan B for us. But it depends on the opponents. It’s never easy. Even they don’t want to lift the shuttle to us,” he said. “Whether it’s the Malaysians, the Indonesians or even the Chinese, everyone wants to play fast and get on the attack rather than giving us a goal.”Satwik also emphasized the importance of Chirag’s presence in the front of the court, saying that his partner’s ability to create openings made his finishing role much easier. “Chirag makes my job very easy – he creates so many chances for me to finish,” he said.