HANGZHOU: A day before their match against the Indonesians, one-half of India's giant-killing men's doubles badminton duo was down for the count. Chirag Shetty got infected with influenza. Two days before that, after a sort of flu outbreak in the shuttlers' camp, an unwell Rohan Kapoor was forced to concede his mixed doubles match, partnering N Sikki Reddy.
Satwik was worried, both for his partner and their campaign -- to the extent that a fear of 'walkover' loomed. Chirag was taken to a public clinic, suffering with symptoms of fever accompanied by severe back pain and headache.
This backdrop to their heroic feat of becoming the first Indian pair to win an Asian Games gold in men's doubles badminton was revealed by Satwik and Chirag themselves. It added further steel to their story of triumph wrapped in resolve that will officially make them the world No. 1 next week.
