Malaysia's decision to break up some of its established men's doubles combinations may have raised eyebrows, but national coach Herry Iman Pierngadi believes the temporary experiment could ultimately strengthen the country's challenge at the World Championships in New Delhi.
The World Championships begin on Monday, with Malaysia relying heavily on its men's doubles players after the withdrawal of defending mixed doubles champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
Among the biggest changes has been the split of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who had formed one of Malaysia's most successful partnerships since 2017. The pair won the 2022 world title and two Olympic bronze medals, but have struggled to maintain their best form over the past year.
Source: Utusan Malaysia
Rather than viewing the reshuffle as a sign that the partnership has failed, Herry sees it as an opportunity for the players to experience different styles and develop new strengths.
Aaron has been paired with Aaron Tai and Tee Kai Wun at different stages of the trial, while Wooi Yik has partnered Man Wei Chong. The combinations are part of a wider effort by the Badminton Association of Malaysia to identify the strongest pairings ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic qualification period.
Herry had previously stressed that scratch partnerships would be used to keep players competitive and assess their potential. He also wants the players to embrace the changes without being overly concerned about immediate results.
The reshuffle has not been limited to Aaron and Wooi Yik. Malaysia has also experimented with other combinations across its men's doubles squad as the coaching team looks for greater depth.
Herry believes taking risks now could pay off later, particularly with the Asian Games and Olympic qualification becoming increasingly important.
The changes are also not necessarily permanent. Aaron has said that he remains open to returning to Wooi Yik if the established partnership ultimately proves to be the strongest option. At the same time, he has embraced the opportunity to learn from different partners and insists that he will give his best regardless of who stands on the other side of the court.
For Wooi Yik, the experience of playing with different partners has similarly provided a chance to add variety to his game. The national setup now has more information to work with when assessing which combinations can handle the pressure of major tournaments.
The timing of the experiment is particularly important. Herry's longer-term focus is not only on the World Championships but also on building a squad capable of competing for major honours in the coming years. Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028 begins next year, making the current period an important window for testing potential combinations.
Malaysia's men's doubles department will therefore enter the New Delhi World Championships with a mixture of established names and newly formed partnerships. Aaron Chia remains one of the team's biggest hopes, while the likes of Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani will also be expected to challenge for honours.
The temporary splits may carry an element of risk, but Herry believes that risk is necessary if Malaysia wants to build a stronger group rather than depend too heavily on one established partnership.
For now, the results in New Delhi will provide another important indication of whether the bold approach is working. If the new combinations can deliver on the biggest stage, the decision to experiment could prove to be one of the most important steps in Malaysia's preparations for the next Olympic cycle.
The message from the coaching team is clear: the partnerships may be temporary, but the bigger objective is long term.
