India’s men’s team suffered a narrow 2–3 defeat against Japan in their second Group Stage encounter of the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026, but the result did little to overshadow the grit and competitiveness displayed by the young Indian side.
Despite the loss, India had already secured qualification for the quarterfinals, and the closely contested tie underlined the depth and resilience within the squad.
The contest began with a statement performance from Ayush Shetty, who once again justified the faith shown in him at the top of the order. Facing Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in the opening men’s singles, Ayush produced one of his most assured displays in a team event. He took the first game 21–18 with controlled aggression, absorbed pressure in the second as Nishimoto hit back 21–15, and then regrouped impressively in the decider to close out the match 21–18.
The win gave India a 1–0 lead and continued Ayush’s excellent run in Qingdao, marking him out as a dependable option in high-pressure ties.
India doubled its advantage in the second match through its most experienced pairing, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were fielded in the first men’s doubles. Up against Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, the Indian duo showcased their trademark attacking flair and front-court dominance. They edged the opening game 21–18, dropped the second 15–21 as the Japanese pair tightened their defence, but raised their intensity in the decider to win 21–12. The victory put India 2–0 up and within touching distance of sealing the tie.
However, Japan mounted a strong comeback from that point onward, exploiting their depth in singles and doubles. In the second men’s singles, Prannoy HS faced Yushi Tanaka. Prannoy, still working his way back to peak match sharpness, was unable to impose himself against the disciplined Japanese shuttler. Tanaka controlled the rallies and took the match in straight games, 21–17, 21–11, reducing India’s lead to 2–1 and shifting the momentum.
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The turning point of the tie came in the second men’s doubles, where Pruthvi Roy and K Sai Pratheek were tested against Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi. The Japanese pair proved too consistent on the day, dictating the pace and keeping errors to a minimum. Pruthvi and Pratheek struggled to gain attacking control and went down 14–21, 10–21, allowing Japan to draw level at 2–2 and force the tie into a deciding fifth match.
With the contest on the line, the responsibility fell on Tharun Mannepalli in the third men’s singles against Koki Watanabe. Tharun made a bright start, taking the opening game 21–12 with proactive shot selection and good court coverage. But Watanabe gradually found his range, stepping up the tempo and forcing longer rallies. The Japanese player claimed the second game 21–14 and maintained his composure in the decider to close it out 21–11, sealing a 3–2 win for Japan.
While the final scoreline read in Japan’s favour, the tie served as a valuable learning experience for India. Victories from Ayush Shetty and the Satwik–Chirag combination reaffirmed India’s strengths, while the closely fought matches highlighted areas that can be refined ahead of the knockout stages. Importantly, India’s qualification for the quarterfinals was already assured, and the group-stage loss does not derail their broader campaign.
From an Indian perspective, the encounter reinforced the importance of squad depth and adaptability against traditional powerhouses like Japan. With the quarterfinals approaching, India will take confidence from the performances of its young singles players and the continued reliability of its premier doubles pair. The narrow defeat, rather than being a setback, provides a timely reminder of the intensity required at the business end of the tournament as India prepares for the knockout rounds at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026.
