Square One isn’t exactly where Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are at, in a linear way, after being ousted from the Asian Games in the first round. This is more like a Rubik’s Cube square that’s gone awry — it’s uncertain how many turns of the cuboid would be needed to align their colour cubes.

Gold medal defenses aren’t going too swell for India this Asian Games, across the board. Though that wasn’t a pressure-point for Satwik-Chirag who have won gold at Hangzhou.

The Round of 32 loss to Thailand’s World No.36 Pakkapon Teeratsakul and Peeratchai Sukhphun 21-12, 19-21, 21-14, was in tune with their previous two matches against these Thais — both three-setters. Teeratsakul-Sukhphun only squeezed the pressure point triggering an old Achilles Heel, which flares up and breaks out like a nut-allergy. They were showered with flat shrapnel by the speedy Thais and their lifts dangled at midcourt. So, Teeratsakul-Sukhphun smashed with elan, and the Indians plunged in defensive turmoil.

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It happened around the middle of the mid-set, and Satwik wasn’t in a physical condition to face the barrage. His attack was numb on the day, and that psychologically imperils his defensive confidence. Later, Chirag would say they got into a mental funk as well. And when doubts creep in, they don’t play freely, don’t strut like Hulk, opponents can kick the door ajar.

The first set seeded tentativeness in their brains, and it carried into the second. It really did not help that the Indians just couldn’t attack (old shoulder issues), and were deranged against a pairing who couldn’t be smacked to the backcourt.

It’s the sort of imploding that has struck other pairs too. Chinese Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang might even get split by the coaches and made to play with other partners, after they were forced to cower by the Satwik-Chirag attack 48 hours ago. The day before that, Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won Ho collapsed against the Chinese the same way. Top pairs lose, when the schedule is as crazy as it is at Asiad, where badminton has to vacate to make way for padel.

But Satwik will have a tough time explaining, why he could summon the smashes in the first set, but faded off in the next two. Or why bad form hits without politely seeking permission to enter their game. It just did. And the Thais were delirious to dump out the defending champs.

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Goliaths always look glum when felled, and Chirag who sent the last three returns from a frantic sitting position, was distraught even as Satwik looked stunned. But the energy was vamoozing in the second set itself. All of last week through the team events and 10 days back enroute to winning China Masters, the Indians were getting dragged into decider. .

It becomes a Rubik Cube puzzle because Satwik is still to decide on whether he will go in for shoulder surgery, which could be 6-8 months in very nervy rehab, because those are complicated comebacks.

The duo have shown up at every team event — 2 Asiad medals and 2 Thomas Cup medals for India. And the shoulder overuse is more painful than anyone can imagine. It hurts Satwik mentally too, when he can’t be at a 100 percent. But the surgery dilemma is agonizing for him. On days he wins — like at the China Masters — he will wonder if he should get on the surgeon’s table. On freaky Fridays of first round exits or World Championships quarters, it’s easy to blame the shoulder, yet not know if that’s what betrayed his game. It doesn’t help that they have ticked those boxes before, and there’s a constant decision of how much to push.

LA qualification starts Labour Day, May 1st of 2027. Sport is always at the mercy of muscle-health, including the brain muscle, so Satwik and Team Satwik-Chirag have a think slammed on them. Medals come in three colours, the Rubik Cube comes in 6 different directions of crossroads.

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Other pairs advance

It could’ve been a double whammy for Indian doubles, who have been handed tough early draws. World Championships bronze medallists ran into a Hong Kong puzzle of their own — as Hiu Yan Tsang and Lok Lok Lui attacked the Indians in a mirror image of how Treesa-Gayatri slay giants — angled attacks.

The 21-16, 16-21, 21-16 was one right scare for the Indians, but they stayed calm treating every shuttle on merit and not making it look monstrous in their heads. They play World No.3 Fukushima and Matsumoto next.

The biggest doubles win however belonged to mixed doubles as Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila packed off tough Malaysian World No.10 Shevon Jemie Lai-Sun Huat Goh, 22-20, 24-20 to reach quarterfinals. They play China’s near-invincible Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dongping in quarters.