Indian Doubles Greats On Satwik-Chirag's BWF World Championships Bronze in Paris: Gandhe Calls It the Greatest, D'Sa Demands More

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A year after heartbreak at the Paris Olympics, where Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik ended their medal hopes, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finally turned the tables.

In the quarterfinals of the 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris, they beat the Malaysian pair 21-12, 21-19 in just 43 minutes, earning not just revenge but also a place in history as the first Indian men's doubles pair to secure multiple World Championship medals.

For India, this bronze - after a semifinal loss to China's Chen Boyang and Liu Yi was more than a continuation of the country's 14-year-long medal streak at the Worlds. It was a story of grit, comeback, and resilience. And no one put it better than India's former doubles greats, Leroy D'Sa and Pradeep Gandhe, who watched the triumph with pride, but also with an insider's eye.

"This is the Greatest": Pradeep Gandhe

For Pradeep Gandhe, an Asian Games medalist and pioneer of Indian doubles, the bronze represents a landmark moment in the sport's evolution.

"Greatest. I would say it is the greatest (achievement for Satwik-Chirag)," Gandhe declared. "Nowadays, there are so many circuit tournaments, everybody knows everyone's game, coaches use high-tech analysis, and opponents study every weakness. To rise above all that requires something special. And these two have done it. This victory is tougher than any of their previous wins."

He was quick to add the psychological weight of this medal. "After losing to the same Malaysian pair at the Olympics, they were itching for redemption. The competition is so intense that winning once doesn't guarantee you anything. To come back, beat their nemesis, and then medal again this shows their mental toughness. I only wish they could have gone all the way."

Leroy D'sa rues lost chances from Sat-Chi

For Leroy D'Sa, another stalwart of Indian doubles, the bronze was bittersweet. He praised their resilience against Chia and Soh but couldn't hide his disappointment with how they let the semifinal slip.

"They have done wonders, made the country proud," the four times Asian Games medalist Leroy said. "But honestly, I felt it should not have been just a bronze. In the semifinal, after leading 11-5, they squandered that advantage and lost the first game. They came back strong to win the second but completely lost their rhythm in the third. Had they held on, I believe reaching the final would not have been difficult."

The loss, he admitted, puzzled him. "After beating their nemesis so convincingly, they started the semifinal brilliantly. But then something happened maybe they froze or ran out of ideas. At this level, you cannot afford to let the opponents creep back in. That shift cost them dearly."

The Tactical Switch

Both legends agreed on one thing: Satwik-Chirag's shift to playing on their terms made the difference against Chia and Soh.

"They played to their strengths," D'Sa explained. "They never gave the Malaysians a chance to attack, kept the shuttle low, and dictated the rallies. When they are attacking, they are at their best. Even in defence, as long as they push positively, they control the match."

Gandhe echoed this, adding the context of their comeback from injury. "At this level, to recover from being out of the circuit and then return to play at such a high level again it is absolutely praiseworthy. These boys have proved they belong at the very top."

Redemption, But Unfinished Business

For Satwik and Chirag, the bronze medal in Paris was both redemption and a reminder of what remains unfinished. Two bronzes in three years have established them as world-class, but as Leroy D'Sa summed up, the hunger must remain.

"They have the grit, the talent, the game to win gold," he said. "This bronze is brilliant. But Satwik and Chirag should know they are capable of much, much more."