Exclusive: Pullela Gopichand Breaks Down India's Dramatic Asian Games Badminton Win Over Japan

Pullela Gopichand was a happy man on Tuesday. To beat Japan in Japan in an Asian Games quarter-final is huge, and his boys achieved that feat with some style and grit on Tuesday. India won the men's quarter-final 3-0. It was a flawless performance from the Indian men, silver medallists at the last edition, as they rode on victories from Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and Ayush Shetty.  Coming into the event after a series of early exits and low on confidence, Lakshya was staring at defeat after losing the opening game and trailing 14-19 in the decider. However, the 25-year-old from Almora proved his mettle, reeling off seven straight points to beat world No. 7 and two-time World Championships silver medallist Kodai Naraoka 11-21, 21-5, 21-19 to give India a 1-0 lead.

Playing the first doubles match, Satwik and Chirag, who have won two titles this season, registered a 21-18, 24-22 win over former world champions Hoki Takuro and Kobayashi Yugo to extend India's lead to 2-0. Ayush, a finalist at the Badminton Asia Championships this year, then produced an impressive performance to see off world No. 16 Koki Watanabe 21-10, 21-19 to seal the match and a medal for India.

India will face China next in the semi-finals. Before the match, NDTV caught up with national coach Pullela Gopichand.

Q: What an incredible win for India. Lakshya Sen was down 13-19 and still pulled it off. Pullela Gopichand told me yesterday, "Who says mentally fragile?" Anybody who watched that match would agree. What did you make of it?

Pullela Gopichand: I think it's phenomenal. He showed real class and fought all the way through. Not only in the third game, but even after losing the first game, he came back really strong in the second. It was an incredible win. Lakshya fought hard. Things weren't going his way initially, but he pulled through and produced a fantastic performance.

Q: When Lakshya came to the mixed zone, he said he never gave up at any point and kept telling himself to stay calm. At 13-19, did you think he could still turn it around?

Pullela Gopichand: After the second game, our approach for the decider was simple: take it three points at a time. When it became 12-19, the thought was to get to 15, then to 18, and then see what happened. The whole match was being played in small phases. Even at 13-19, that was the thinking, and that is what I was conveying to Lakshya as well.

Q: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty said they were so pumped up that they became superstitious during the match. As a coach, how do you handle such pressure? Do you get nervous?

Pullela Gopichand: As a coach sitting courtside, it is important to stay calm. You need to zoom out and focus on strategy rather than emotions. It was a tense match throughout, but all of them played phenomenally well.

Q: People keep doubting Satwik and Chirag, but they continue to deliver. How highly do you rate them?

Pullela Gopichand: I've said this many times before. There aren't many pairs in the world who possess both the smashing power and net skills that they have. Often in doubles, one player creates opportunities and the other finishes points. With Satwik and Chirag, both can do everything. They both hit incredibly well and are excellent at the net. When it mattered most, they showed tremendous class.

Q: They said they never got nervous and always believed they could get the job done. Do you agree?

Pullela Gopichand: Absolutely. They can lift, block, and play the fast game with equal ease. Their opponents don't have as many options. If opponents lift, these guys become extremely dangerous. Their versatility allows them to try different things during crunch moments, and that's what makes them such a strong pair.

Q: How good is Ayush? He looks like a serious talent.

Pullela Gopichand: He is phenomenally good. The second game became much closer than it should have been because he was leading 11-5 at the interval. This guy is serious quality. He hits well, covers the court brilliantly, and for someone of his height, his defence and stability are remarkable. He's still very young and has tremendous potential.

Q: Top 10 in the world?

Pullela Gopichand: Further.

Q: Further than Top 10?

Pullela Gopichand: Yes.

Q: At 17-19, he won four straight points. To me, that showed temperament as much as quality. Would you agree?

Pullela Gopichand: Definitely. For players like Satwik, Chirag, and Ayush, having a powerful smash is a huge advantage. All they need is a small opening. At the end of the game, Ayush was brave enough to play the net smartly and create those attacking opportunities. Once he gets a chance to hit, his smashes are not only powerful but also very steep. It was wonderful to see.

Q: Can you put this medal into context? India have now won back-to-back Asian Games team-event medals. What does this mean for Indian badminton?

Pullela Gopichand: It's a significant achievement because it reflects the depth of our team. Of course, there are areas where we can improve and become more consistent, but we have good bench strength, exciting young players, and a doubles pair that delivers under pressure. Whether it's the Thomas Cup, Asian Games, or Badminton Asia Championships, our players often perform beyond expectations in team events. Japan were the higher-seeded team, so to beat them 3-0 in Japan is fantastic.

Q: China in the semi-final next. There is less than 24 hours to recover. How difficult will that be?

Pullela Gopichand: It will be tough. Every match is going to be difficult. Physical recovery will be important. Team championships are often about momentum. You win one match, gain confidence and energy, and that carries into the next one. A lot will depend on how Lakshya starts. But this is a great group. Everyone feeds off each other's energy. The dugout atmosphere is fantastic, and I'm hopeful of a big performance.

Q: Let's talk about the women's team. Trisa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand were brilliant, but overall it was a little disappointing. What were your thoughts?

Pullela Gopichand: Trisa and Gayatri were outstanding. To beat the world No. 3 pair, and do it comfortably in straight games, was fantastic. Gayatri was exceptional at the net and covered the court very well. Trisa adapted smartly to the match situation. Together, they adjusted their natural game, followed a clear strategy, and executed it brilliantly.

Q: PV Sindhu could have won her match in two games. That was my feeling. What did you think?

Pullela Gopichand: I thought Sindhu played really well. The match could have been finished in two games, but even in the third game she had opportunities. There was one poor patch early on where she lost momentum. Overall, though, Sindhu looked good.

Q: What about Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma?

Pullela Gopichand: We just needed to push a little harder. Perhaps the occasion got to us a bit. Unnati had her chances in the second game, but we need to help the younger players take the next step. Against someone like Nozomi Okuhara, we needed either greater variation in strokes or more physical intensity to match her.

Q: Finally, congratulations on the medal. The atmosphere and support for the team said it all. Thank you for joining us.

Pullela Gopichand: Thank you so much.

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