Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila delivered a gritty comeback performance to keep India’s hopes alive in the mixed doubles at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 in Ningbo, China, on Tuesday. The 20th-ranked Indian pair defeated Thailand’s Phuwana Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard (world No. 41) 21-14, 11-21, 21-15 in 51 minutes in their first-ever meeting.
The Indians started strongly, claiming the opening game with clinical precision. They lost momentum in the second game, allowing the Thais to level the match, but showed champion spirit in the decider. Trailing slightly at the change of ends (11-10), Crasto and Kapila dominated the latter half with sharp net play and aggressive smashes to seal the win and book their spot in the pre-quarterfinals.
This result marks the only success for India’s mixed doubles pairs on the opening day. The duo, who reached the quarterfinals at last year’s championships and came agonisingly close to a medal, will now look to build on this momentum in the next round.
In the other mixed doubles encounters, Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh showed promising fight against Malaysia’s Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien. The young Indian pair stayed competitive in a tight first game until the Malaysians pulled away late, and even built an early lead in the second before falling 21-16, 21-15. It was a solid display of character, and they can take plenty of positives into future tournaments.
Similarly, Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Gadde put up a spirited effort against eighth seeds Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie of Malaysia. After a tough opening game, the Indians mounted a strong comeback in the second, erasing a big deficit and pushing the Malaysians all the way to 20-19 before the experienced pair held firm for a 21-13, 21-19 victory. Both Indian pairs showed good performance and resilience; brighter results are surely on the horizon for them.
The action intensifies on Wednesday as the singles events take centre stage. Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Paris 2024 semi-finalist Lakshya Sen will begin their campaigns, promising high-voltage contests for Indian badminton fans.