India’s Sudirman Cup 2025 campaign came to a disappointing end after a 1-4 loss to Indonesia in their second Group D tie on Tuesday in Xiamen.
The defeat sealed India’s fate, eliminating them from the quarterfinal race while Indonesia and Denmark progressed from the group with two wins each.
It was a day of contrasting fortunes for the Indian contingent. The seasoned stars failed to make their mark, while the relatively inexperienced duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto offered the only bright spot.
They pulled off a stunning upset in the mixed doubles match to register India’s sole victory, edging out Rehan Naufal and Gloria Emanuelle in a nail-biting three-game thriller: 10-21, 21-18, 21-19. From 16-19 down in the deciding game, the Indian pair staged a remarkable fightback, claiming five consecutive points to seal the match.
That early spark, however, fizzled out quickly. PV Sindhu, once India’s pillar in singles, endured a straight-games defeat to Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani. Sindhu never found her rhythm and was outplayed 12-21, 13-21 in just 38 minutes, looking uncharacteristically passive throughout the contest.
In the men’s singles, HS Prannoy showed glimpses of resistance but could not sustain the momentum. After taking the opening game against Jonatan Christie 21-19, Prannoy faded in the next two, losing 14-21, 12-21 as Indonesia gained a crucial edge in the tie.
The women’s doubles clash turned into a one-sided affair, with Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra going down tamely to Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Fadia 10-21, 9-21. With the tie already lost, India’s men’s doubles pair could do little to salvage pride.
India will now play England in their final group encounter on Thursday. However, with both teams already out of contention, the match serves only as a formality and an opportunity for fringe players to gain experience.
With this early exit, India’s wait for a breakthrough in the prestigious mixed team competition continues. Despite boasting top-tier talent, the squad once again fell short at the group stage-a familiar script in Sudirman Cup history for the nation. Inconsistency in key matches, especially from experienced names, proved costly.
Meanwhile, the quarterfinal lineup has taken shape with China and Thailand advancing from Group A, Korea and Chinese Taipei from Group B, and Japan and Malaysia completing the Group C berths. Indonesia and Denmark join them from Group D.
India’s focus will now shift to regrouping ahead of upcoming team events and preparing for the Paris Olympics. For now, however, the Sudirman Cup dream has ended with more questions than answers.