Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy lost their men’s doubles opener at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi, Japan on September 25, 2026. The world No. 5 pair fell 12-21, 21-19, 21-14 to Thailand’s world No. 36 duo Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.
The defeat ended the Indian pair’s title defence. Shetty and Rankireddy won the gold medal at Hangzhou 2023, becoming the first Indian badminton players to win an Asian Games gold.
Recent Form and Ranking
Shetty and Rankireddy entered the Asian Games as the fifth-ranked pair in the world. They won the China Masters Super 750 title in Shenzhen on September 6, 2026, beating China’s He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 in the final.
The China Masters victory added $92,500 (approximately Rs 87.4 lakh) to their career earnings. It was their second Super 750 title of 2026, following the Singapore Open.
The pair’s career earnings from BWF tournaments total $523,239. In 2026, they have played 28 matches with 19 wins and 9 losses.
Asian Games Team Event
Shetty and Rankireddy contributed India’s only win in the men’s team semi-final against China on September 23. They defeated reigning world champions Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-11, 22-20.
India lost the tie 3-1 and settled for the bronze medal. Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty lost their singles matches.
Racket and Equipment
Shetty uses the Yonex Arcsaber 11 Pro racket with BG65 strings and Power Cushion 65 Z shoes. The racket is designed for control and precision.
He previously used the Yonex Voltric 80 E-Tune and Duora Z Strike models earlier in his career.
Personal Details
Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty was born on July 4, 1997, in Malad, Mumbai. He is 29 years old and is unmarried.
He attended Ryan International School in Malad and studied at Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. He started playing badminton at age seven at the Goregaon Sports Club under coach Uday Pawar.
Shetty trains at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad. His father is a restaurateur who supported his early career.
Partnership with Rankireddy
Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were paired together in 2016 by then-India doubles coach Tan Kim Her. The two players did not share a common language at the time but developed into India’s most successful doubles pair.
They became the first Indian pair to win BWF World Tour Super 500, 750, and 1000 events. They were also the first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach the world No. 1 ranking and to win an Asian Games gold.
Shetty received the Arjuna Award in 2020 alongside Rankireddy.
Ayush Shetty Connection
Ayush Shetty is a 21-year-old Indian singles player who won a bronze medal with the men’s team at the Asian Games 2026. He is not related to Chirag Shetty.
Ayush is known for upset wins over top players, including a victory over then-world No. 1 Shi Yuqi at the BWF World Championships. He lost his Asian Games team semi-final match to Li Shi Feng 21-19, 21-13.
