Veer Chotrani Remains India's Sole Hope at World Squash Championships 2026

India's Performance at the World Squash Championships

Giza [Egypt], May 9: India's representation at the 2026 World Squash Championships has been significantly diminished, with only Veer Chotrani advancing after both Velavan Senthilkumar and Ramit Tandon were eliminated in their initial matches held in Giza, Egypt, on Saturday.

Senthilkumar, who holds the 50th position in global rankings, faced a tough challenge against France's sixth seed and world No. 5, Victor Crouin, losing decisively with a score of 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-3) at the Palm Hills Club and PGC Golf Central Mall.

This match marked the third consecutive defeat for the 33-year-old Indian player against Crouin, as noted by Olympics.com.

Meanwhile, Tandon was defeated by Egypt's Kareem El Torkey, who is ranked 19 spots higher, with a score of 3-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-0). This encounter was their first on the PSA circuit.

With these two losses, Veer Chotrani stands as the only Indian player left in the competition.

Chotrani had previously caused an upset by overcoming his fellow countryman and top-ranked Indian player, Abhay Singh (world No. 22), with a thrilling 3-2 victory on Friday.

However, the world No. 45 now faces a formidable opponent in the second round, as he prepares to take on Egypt's world No. 1, Mostafa Asal, on Sunday.

India entered the World Squash Championships with a four-member team, and squash is set to debut at the Olympics in LA 2028.