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In a hard-fought battle at the Asian Games, India secured their first-ever silver medal in men's badminton team championships. Despite the absence of the injured HS Prannoy, the Indian team displayed remarkable determination and skill against the formidable Chinese squad on Sunday. Lakshya Sen set the tone with a gritty performance in the opening singles match, followed by a dominant display by the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. However, India fell short in the crucial third singles match, allowing China to mount a comeback and ultimately secure the title.

Lakshya Sen Leads the Charge

With Prannoy sidelined due to a back injury, the responsibility of leading the Indian team fell on the shoulders of Lakshya Sen. Sen showed his mettle by recovering from a mid-game deficit in the decider to secure a hard-fought victory against world No. 6 Shi Yuqi. His performance gave India an early 1-0 lead in the finals, setting the stage for an intense battle against the Chinese team.

Strong Doubles Performance Extends India's Lead

The men's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued India's strong showing by defeating their Chinese counterparts. They unleashed a smashing spree to outclass their opponents in straight sets, extending India's lead to 2-0. The victory by this dynamic pair was a significant boost to India's chances of clinching the gold medal.

Srikanth's Grit Not Enough

Kidambi Srikanth, the former world No. 1, fought valiantly but was unable to secure a win in the third singles match. Despite holding a substantial lead and multiple game points, Srikanth eventually went down against All England champion Li Shifeng. This loss narrowed India's lead to 2-1, placing added pressure on the remaining matches.

China's Comeback Secures Victory

In the subsequent matches, India faced defeats in both the second doubles and third singles. The scratch pair of Dhruv Kapila and Sai Pratheek Krishna Prasad lost to their Chinese counterparts, and Prannoy's replacement, Mithun Manjunath, was unable to overcome his opponent.