3 min readApr 10, 2026 03:14 PM ISTThe Ayush-Jojo match was the highlight of the Indonesian sporting day. (BAI photo)It wasn’t just that Indonesian coach Irwansyah was in the Indian corner when Ayush Shetty defeated his ace former protege Jonatan Christie. Vimal Kumar, the lead coach at Ayush’s badminton academy also found himself in badminton-mad Indonesia, on the morning of their face-off.The win sets up a semis face-off with World No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn.Unlike India where the second biggest broadcaster refused to renew TV rights for the Badminton Asia Championships which meant Indian’s were left scrambling for stray streams to catch the match – only from one angle! – the Ayush-Jojo match was the highlight of the Indonesian sporting day. India’s lead broadcaster was left showing the European championships.Vimal Kumar, in Indonesia for a private wedding, flew into the country and caught the excitement akin to cricket in India. “Jonatan is their No 1 player, like Virat Kohli. Every channel was showing the Asian Championship. Their other players Alwi Farhan and Ubaidullah had lost, but this was the big one,” he said.ALSO READ | Ayush Shetty scores his biggest win over World No 4 Jonatan Christie – an all-round 23-21, 21-17 brillianceOn the long ride from the airport, Vimal only had to mention badminton, and his entire journey was filled with plenty of chatter, with players from past and present. “The following is huge in Indonesia. My taxi driver, an old fellow, recalled matches of Liem Swi King, Rudi Hartono and Prakash (Padukone). The match was yet to begin and I saw it in my hotel room only. But we had a long chat. He seemed to be very upset that Indonesia hadn’t producer a women’s great after Susi Susanti. And wasn’t particularly impressed with the current lot,” Vimal said.The win over the World No 4 had made his day, but the match had a few nervy moments for him. “First set was crucial and I thought Ayush was a little sluggish. But when it matters over last 3 matches at Ningbo, Ayush played good positive badminton which was impressive. It was a fantastic effort from 18-20 down. Even end of 2nd set, he kept good length and kept shuttle deep which Christie wasn’t expecting since many shuttles were floating out. But Ayush controlled it well,” he said.Story continues below this adWhen the 20 year old was tiring he also took a good break at 17-18 which shows he is in the big league. Top players tend to know these things, Vimal added. “Asians are as good as the World’s,” he would say, adding these were good results with wins over Christie and Li Shifeng, in a week.More than Christie, one look behind from Ayush towards Irwansyah, pointed to a possible crisis. Ayush had broken strings of over 7-8 racquets and ran the risk of running out of racquets. Irwansyah, an experienced ace coach, not just on court coach, will need to manage the stringing issues, going ahead.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. ... 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