2 min readSep 9, 2026 06:15 AM IST First published on: Sep 9, 2026 at 06:15 AM ISTWhile Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu have elevated women’s badminton, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are slowly but surely achieving the same for doubles. At clubs across India, in neighbourhoods and corporate parks alike, the doubles is the competition format played by millions of amateurs. The sport was already popular, but Satwik-Chirag are acquiring a loyal fanbase because they keep contesting the top titles, and stay in the hunt — with the Singapore Open and China Masters fetching up this year.It wasn’t long back, though, when, after a lukewarm reception to their Thomas Cup second medal, a disappointed Satwik had declared he wouldn’t let his kids play the sport. Satwik had asked Indians to watch them play, and acknowledge that they were doing something special — which was remarkable for a country that worshipped the singles stars, but had very little 20 years ago to boast of in terms of doubles. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa won a World’s bronze and a CWG title in 2010-11, but India wasn’t quite registering on the circuit. The powerhouses of badminton — China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia — churned out doubles talent in a sport that doesn’t prioritise singles like tennis would. Satwik-Chirag proved they can go toe to toe with those big names, and even reach the World No. 1 ranking.AdvertisementThey keep fans and even trolls invested, converting some of the latter into the former — won over by the hard-working and winsome doubles pairing.