HS Prannoy asked Indians to support the new badminton champions. Numbers don’t lie. India entered the 2026 Thomas Cup as the eighth seed, and by pure ranking logic alone, a semifinal finish meant the team outperformed expectations at badminton’s biggest team event. Several traditional heavyweights fell short of the last four. Thailand, powered by World No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, failed to reach the semifinals. So did Indonesia, despite having World No. 5 Jonatan Christie in their ranks, and Japan, whose campaign included World No. 9 Kodai Naraoka. Even Chinese Taipei, backed by two Top-10 singles stars, World No. 6 Chou Tien-chen and World No. 8 Lin Chun-yi. could not advance, with India knocking them out thanks to wins from World No. 11 HS Prannoy and rising youngster Ayush Shetty, who has just broken into the Top 20 at No. 18.
‘Belief never faded’
While social media quickly moved on, the rankings and recent form tell a far more meaningful story. “Winning that bronze was not easy at all,” Prannoy said during a Sports Authority of India interaction after returning home earlier this week. India were never viewed as favourites going into the tournament. “We came in as the eighth seed. Nobody really counted us among the contenders this time,” Prannoy said. Yet, inside the squad, the belief never faded. “We wanted to show that we are still capable of delivering at this level,” he added.
India won Bronze in 2022
India’s historic triumph at the 2022 Thomas Cup did not automatically make them permanent favourites every time the tournament came around. But for the players who scripted that breakthrough. Despite not having a single Olympic medallist in the squad the impact of that gold continues to shape their careers.
Prannoy believes 2022 Victory Changed everything
HS Prannoy believes the 2022 victory changed the trajectory of the team and the individuals within it. The following season itself reflected that shift, as he went on to collect medals at the BWF World Championships, the Asian Games and the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships.
Asian Badminton Championship
The competition landscape in Asian badminton remains brutally intense. Just below powerhouse China sits a tightly packed group featuring Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and India , all strong enough to challenge for the podium depending on form and matchups. Add the two European semifinalists into the mix, and there are at least 10 nations with the depth and balance to realistically dream of a finals appearance.
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One more Bronze for the Nation
That is why India returning with another bronze medal carries genuine weight for those who closely follow the sport. Even seemingly straightforward ties demanded hard-fought wins, including tricky singles matches against Canada, while sharing a group with China only made the road tougher. In a field this competitive, back-to-back podium finishes are far from routine; they are proof of consistency at the highest level.
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