Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty Will Be The Ones To Beat In Paris Olympics: Pullela Gopichand

Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand on Monday singled out world number one doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty as favourites for an Olympic medal and said two-time medallist PV Sindhu too is on the right path and can deliver once again at the Paris Games. Returning after a long injury layoff, double Olympic medalist Sindhu led India's women's team to a historic gold at the Badminton Asia Team Championships. Satwik and Chirag, on the other hand, have been on a dream run with successive runner-up finishes in 2023 China Open and Malaysia Open Super 1000 and India Open Super 750 this season to emerge as the world No 1 doubles pair.

"It would be fair to say that, as the world number ones today, they are definitely a prospect to win at the highest level," Gopichand said at the announcement of 'Revsportz Sports Conclave' at Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club.

"They are a solid pair; whenever they step on the court, they are one of the favorites. Months away, today, if I have to pick across sports, across countries, any one pair which is the pair to beat at the Olympics, it will have to be Satwik and Chirag." Asked about India's total medals' count in Paris, he said: "It's elections time, so everyone is guessing big. But I won't give a number, I think it will definitely be more than what we had last time."

Sindhu can win her third at Paris

Playing her first match in four months at BATC in February since retiring in the second round of the French Open in October due to an injury, World No. 11 Sindhu beat Han Yue of China, Lo Sin Yan Happy of Hong Kong and Supanida Katethong of Thailand to help India win the gold at BATC.

"I'm definitely with Sindhu. Here is someone who has performed well in the