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IMAGE: Two-time Olympics medallist P V Sindhu will spearhead India’s challenge at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, in Qingdao, China, from February 3 to 8. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images, from the Rediff Archives
Two-time Olympics medallist P V Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and the star pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty form the core of India’s squad for the Badminton Asia Team Championships, in Qingdao, China, from February 3 to 8.
India are the defending champions in the women’s category of the competition, while the men’s team won two bronze medals in the past.
“Selected on the basis of ranking, performance, and experience, the women’s team will once again be led by former World champion and two-time Olympics medallist, PV Sindhu,” read a statement from the Badminton Association of India.
World No. 13 Sen is the top-ranked men’s singles player in the squad, which also features Kidambi Srikanth, H S Prannoy, US Open winner Ayush Shetty, and Tharun Mannepalli.
Satwik-Chirag will lead the doubles unit along with Guwahati Masters runners-up Sai Pratheek K and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy, as well as Hariharan Amsakarunan.
In the women’s category, Sindhu will be supported by World Junior Championships silver medalist Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Rakshita Sree Santhosh Ramraj and Malvika Bansod in singles.
Syed Modi International champions Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will lead India’s charge in the doubles while Priya Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra and Tanisha Crasto complete the squad.
BAI secretary Sanjay Mishra said, “Over the last few years, Indian teams have consistently been medal contenders at the Asian and World level and this squad has the right mix of form and experience and is capable of challenging for the crown in both categories.”
Team:
Men’s: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, Prannoy HS, Tharun Mannepalli, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy, Sai Pratheek K, Hariharan Amsakarunan
Women’s: P V Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, Malvika Bansod, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand, Priya Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra, Tanisha Crasto.
