Sportz Point Awards 2022: Indian Athletes of the Year (Male) | Satwik-Chirag

According to Sportz Point, Indian Athletes of the Year (Male) Award goes to Indian doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

Also Read: Sportz Point Awards 2022 | All the winners

Satwik-Chirag had a sensational year in 2022, full of firsts in Indian badminton. They began 2022 by winning the India Open Super 500 title. They also played a key role in India's historic Thomas Cup triumph. The ice and fire pair then won the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, another first for Indian badminton. The historic Worlds bronze in Tokyo, of course. After that, won the French Open, which was the first Super 750 title of their career. And finally, they achieved the goal they had set for themselves last year. They reached the top 5 in the BWF rankings.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that at 25 (Chirag) and 22 (Satwik), they are already the most successful men's doubles players in India. And what's remarkable is that this success is just the beginning.

However, their desire for medals was intensified by the heartbreak of 2021. In that year, they beat the eventual Tokyo Olympic champions but were knocked out despite having the wins on the technicality of a three-way tie. After that, a revolution has come in 2022 when Danish coach Mathias Boe took the responsibility to train the duo. Boe's composure is a crucial factor in their historic Thomas Cup victory.

Last December, the Indian pair was reduced to tears and frustration as the season ended without significant silverware to show for their strong efforts. This December, they are the world's No 5 team and a genuine threat against the best. The year 2022 has been a game-changer for Indian badminton and Satwik-Chirag has led this change with its evolution. That is why, Sportz Point gave the Indian Athletes of the Year (Male) Award to the sensational Indian duo of Satwik-Chirag.

Also Read: Sportz Point Awards 2022: Athlete of the Year (Female) | Katie Ledecky

Their balance of aggression and composure will be a much-needed quality in the coming year. 2023 is a loaded season with the delayed Asian Games and Olympic qualification.