India’s campaign at the TotalEnergies BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 came to a premature end after a 1-4 loss to powerhouse Indonesia in their second Group D tie in Chengdu.
Despite glimpses of promise — most notably from Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, and a spirited fight from the young men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi — the Indian team couldn’t keep their knockout hopes alive.
Dhruv-Tanisha Shine, Provide Early Hope
The tie started on a high note for India with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pulling off a brilliant comeback win in the mixed doubles, defeating Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 10-21, 21-18, 21-19.
After a shaky start, the Indian pair found rhythm and held their nerves in the decider, proving once again that they are India’s best mixed duo at the moment. The win put India ahead 1-0, and briefly raised hopes of a potential upset.
Tanisha, in particular, showed exceptional maturity at the net, while Dhruv’s interceptions and midcourt pressure rattled the Indonesians — a performance that fans will hope becomes a regular feature moving forward.
Sindhu’s Struggles Continue in Sudirman Cup
All eyes then turned to PV Sindhu, who had a massive opportunity to carry the momentum. She faced a relatively inexperienced Putri Kusuma Wardani, but what followed was a one-sided contest. Wardani dismantled the former world champion 21-13, 21-12, leveling the tie at 1-1.
The result is a harsh reminder: Sindhu hasn’t won a Sudirman Cup singles match since 2019. While she’s shown flashes of her class post-injury, this loss underlined the inconsistency that has plagued her return. Her movement looked off-tempo, and Wardani capitalized ruthlessly, exploiting Sindhu’s reluctance to take control of the rallies.
Prannoy Falters After Bright Start
India still had a chance to take the lead back in the men’s singles, where HS Prannoy faced Jonatan Christie. The match began brightly with Prannoy snatching the first game 21-19. But as the tie wore on, his intensity dropped and unforced errors crept in. Christie stormed back to win 19-21, 21-14, 21-12.
While Prannoy showed glimpses of his best, he couldn’t maintain the physical edge needed against a relentless opponent like Christie. With this loss, India trailed 1-2, and the tie started slipping away.
Predictable Loss in Women’s Doubles
The women’s doubles was always going to be an uphill battle. The Indian pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra were clearly overmatched against Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, going down meekly 10-21, 9-21 in just 34 minutes.
While Priya and Shruti have shown potential in domestic tournaments, the gulf in class at the international level is evident. Indonesia’s pair dominated at the net and moved the Indians around with ease. This result sealed the tie at 1-3, officially ending India’s hopes of making the quarterfinals.
HariRuban Show Heart, Not Enough for the Win
In the final rubber, youngsters Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi took on Indonesia’s experienced pairing of Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Daniel Marthin. The Indian duo showed tremendous grit, pushing their more established opponents in both games before falling 20-22, 18-21.
This was arguably the most encouraging sign of the tie for India. HariRuban may have lost, but their coordination, defensive retrievals, and front-court exchanges showed rapid improvement.
If they continue on this trajectory, a Top 20 world ranking isn’t out of reach. They’ve gained valuable exposure, and it’s clear they belong at this level.
End of the Road, but Seeds of Progress
India now stands eliminated from the Sudirman Cup quarterfinals for the second edition in a row, unable to advance from a tough group that also included Thailand. While the 1-4 scoreline against Indonesia looks one-sided, there were enough moments to suggest progress is being made.
Dhruv-Tanisha’s resilience, HariRuban’s growth, and the promise of new talent like Priya and Shruti — despite their current limitations — offer a sliver of hope. But there’s no escaping the bigger truth: India remains far from being a true mixed team powerhouse. The men’s singles and women’s singles pillars are wobbling, and the women’s doubles depth is still paper-thin.
With the Paris Olympics now in the rearview, the focus must shift to team-building and investing in long-term pairings. The Sudirman Cup exit may sting, but it should also serve as fuel to address gaps ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
