Thomas Cup: Prannoy, Ayush power India to gritty wins, seal 2nd spot in group

Ayush Shetty emerged as the standout performer as India signed off their group-stage campaign at the Thomas Cup with a hard-fought 2-3 loss to China.

Up against World No. 15 Weng Hong Yang, the young Indian showed remarkable composure to script a comeback win, prevailing 17-21, 21-13, 21-15 in a match that stretched over an hour. After dropping the opening game, Shetty raised his intensity, combining sharp movement with confident shot-making to turn the contest around.

His victory came at a critical juncture. India were already reeling after defeats for Lakshya Sen and the doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and were on the brink of a 3-0 deficit. Shetty’s win not only kept the tie alive but also showcased his growing ability to deliver under pressure.

Lakshya had earlier gone down 19-21, 21-8, 12-21 to Li Shi Feng, struggling to sustain his level in the decider despite an impressive second game. In doubles, Satwik and Chirag pushed China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang to the brink, saving five match points before narrowly losing 13-21, 21-13, 24-26, with Wang’s variation on serve proving decisive late in the match.

India’s hopes of topping the group were dashed when the second doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun fell 17-21, 13-21 to He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu. However, H. S. Prannoy ended the tie on a high, battling past Lu Guang Zu 20-22, 21-19, 21-11 in a gritty three-game win.

Despite the narrow defeat, India finished second in their group and progressed to the quarter-finals, carrying momentum from two strong individual wins.