Ayush Shetty Gets Special Praise As India Seal 3-0 Sweep In Thomas Cup Quarter-Final
India's tie was sealed by Ayush Shetty's 21-16, 21-17 win over Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-yi, but former national coach Vimal Kumar's emphasis wasn't on the scoreline.
The former champion Indian men's badminton team has entered the semifinals of the Thomas Cup 2026 after defeating Chinese Taipei 3-0 in the quarterfinal in Horsens, Denmark. In an exclusive interview to NDTV from Australia, renowned badminton coach Vimal Kumar said, "A 3-0 against Chinese Taipei is a statement and not just a result". He zoomed in on Ayush Shetty's outstanding show. "Ayush was exceptional - truly outstanding. Against one of the most aggressive players on the circuit, he didn't get rushed. He showed composure. There's a balance there, fearless attack and disciplined defence. He held his shape. When to press, when to stay in the rally, he got those calls right."
India's tie was sealed by Shetty's 21-16, 21-17 win over Lin Chun-yi, but Kumar's emphasis wasn't on the scoreline.
"The story is about the winners, as much as it is about the rallies he refused to lose the wrong way. At that level, under that pressure, to dominate like that tells you about his character. That's preparation, that's belief."
Interestingly Lin Chun-yi stole the All England Open men's singles title from Lakshya Sen in March.
Kumar framed the rest of the tie as the platform Shetty built on.
"Lakshya Sen gave the team the start you want. Tough match, but he stayed in it and closed it like a top player," he said of Sen's 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 win over Chou Tien-chen. "And Satwik-Chirag are dependable. During big points, big moments, they just deliver."
On the doubles, he was concise. "Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty played like champions. They controlled the third game," he said of the 23-21, 19-21, 21-12 win over Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin.
But Kumar circled back to Shetty.
"What makes this win special is Ayush. You don't often see that level of control against that kind of pace. He trusted his plan."
India's 3-0 sends them into the semifinals with a medal secured. Kumar's emphasised, "This is a performance to remember. It reflects where the team is right now-and it gives them belief for what's next."