India’s hopes in the 2025 Sudirman Cup came to a disappointing end on Tuesday in Xiamen, China, after a 1-4 defeat to Indonesia in a must-win Group D fixture. Having lost by the same margin to Denmark in their opening match, India needed a victory to keep their knockout stage dreams alive. Instead, the loss confirmed their early exit, making their upcoming tie against England a dead rubber.
The campaign began on a promising note as India’s mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto edged past Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja in a gripping contest. After losing the opening game 10-21, the Indian duo rallied to win 21-18, 21-19 in a match that stretched to one hour and 10 minutes.
That early momentum, however, was short-lived.
PV Sindhu, still searching for her top form, suffered another straight-game defeat. The world number 18 went down 12-21, 13-21 to Putri Kusuma Wardani, ranked seven spots higher at 11. The loss was particularly stinging, as Sindhu had beaten Wardani in their previous two encounters. Her underwhelming performance comes on the back of another defeat in the group opener against Denmark.
With the scoreline at 1-1, the pressure shifted to H.S. Prannoy in the men’s singles clash. He started strongly, taking the first game 21-19 against Jonatan Christie. But Christie, the world number six, showcased his class in the next two games, overpowering the world number 30 Indian 21-14, 21-12 to give Indonesia the lead.
India’s women’s doubles pair, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, were thoroughly outplayed by Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, falling 10-21, 9-21 in under half an hour. The men’s doubles team of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi fought hard but ultimately succumbed 20-22, 18-21 to Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Daniel Marthin, sealing India’s defeat.
With both Indonesia and Denmark securing two wins each, they advance to the knockout stages. Meanwhile, India and England, who also lost both their matches, are eliminated, rendering their face-off meaningless in terms of tournament progression.
India’s early exit highlights the need for a strategic reassessment, especially with key players like Sindhu and Prannoy unable to deliver when it mattered most.
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