India Faces Setback as Top Doubles Pair Withdraws from Badminton Asia Championships
Major Withdrawal Ahead of Championships
India's badminton team has encountered a significant setback as the leading men's doubles team, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have withdrawn from the upcoming Badminton Asia Championships. This event is set to take place from April 7 to 11 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Ningbo, China. With their absence, the focus now shifts to Lakshya Sen, who has shown impressive form following his runner-up finish at the All England Open, and PV Sindhu, who is making her return after missing the Birmingham event due to personal circumstances.
Sindhu was unable to participate in recent tournaments as she was stranded in Dubai amid geopolitical tensions, which took a toll on her mental health, prompting her to step back from the BWF World Tour and miss the European leg, including the Swiss Open.
Coach Tan Kim Her confirmed that Satwik is still experiencing pain from his injury, which has led to their withdrawal from this year's tournament. The duo had previously pulled out of the Swiss Open just before their quarterfinal match due to ongoing issues with Satwik's right shoulder.
Focus on Singles Players
The withdrawal of the top doubles pair places the spotlight on India's singles competitors, particularly Lakshya and two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu. Notably, no Indian player has claimed the singles title at this championship in over six decades, with Dinesh Khanna being the last to achieve this in 1965. Lakshya is eager to break this drought, especially after defeating World No. 2 Shi Yuqi and World No. 7 Li Shifeng at the All England Open. He will begin his campaign against Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu, while Sindhu will face Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching.
India's men's singles lineup is further bolstered by HS Prannoy, who will compete against a qualifier after recovering from a shoulder injury. Kidambi Srikanth is set to challenge Singapore's eighth seed Loh Kean Yew, and US Open champion Ayush Shetty will take on China's fifth seed Shifeng.
Opportunities for Young Talent
In the women's singles category, alongside Sindhu, India will be represented by Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, and Malvika Bansod. Unnati is scheduled to compete against Thailand's Supanida Katethong, while Tanvi faces Malaysia's K. Letshanaa, and Malvika will meet Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
With Satwik and Chirag absent, India's representation in men's doubles will come from Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun, who recently secured back-to-back titles at the Al Ain Masters Super 100 and the Turkiye International Challenge. They will encounter top seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae from South Korea. Additionally, P. Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K. will compete against Japan's Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi.
In women's doubles, Ashwini Bhat K. and Shikha Gautam will face Thailand's Hathaithip Mijad and N. Tungkasatan, while the leading duo, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, will take on China's Luo Yi and Wang Ting Ge. Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra are set to meet a qualifier.
In mixed doubles, Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani will challenge Malaysia's eighth seeds Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie. Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh will face another Malaysian pair, Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien, while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will compete against Thailand's P. Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard.