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Sindhu, Sen Lead India at Badminton Asia C'ships After Satwik-Chirag Withdraw

India's campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 faces a major setback with the withdrawal of star men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty due to a shoulder injury. The spotlight now shifts to top singles players PV Sindhu, marking her competitive return, and the in-form Lakshya Sen to lead the medal charge. The Indian contingent features a blend of experienced campaigners like HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth alongside emerging talents across all categories. Despite the absence of their top pair, India will look to improve its medal tally at the prestigious continental event being held in Ningbo, China.

Key Points: India's Badminton Asia Championships 2026 Squad & Medal Hopes

  • Satwik-Chirag withdraw due to injury
  • Sindhu marks competitive return
  • Lakshya Sen in top form
  • India's mixed doubles led by Kapila-Crasto
  • Aim to add to modest medal tally
2 min read

Badminton Asia Championships: Sindhu, Sen to lead India's campaign after Satwik-Chirag withdraw

PV Sindhu returns as Lakshya Sen leads India's charge at Badminton Asia Championships 2026 after Satwik-Chirag withdraw due to injury.

"India's campaign... suffered a setback with the withdrawal of star men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty - Olympics.com"

Ningbo, April 7

India's campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 suffered a setback with the withdrawal of star men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty due to a shoulder injury to Satwik, even as top singles shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen gear up to spearhead the country's challenge in Ningbo, China, from Tuesday.

The continental meet, being held in Ningbo for the third consecutive time, will feature a strong Indian contingent across categories despite the late withdrawal of the Asian Games champions in men's doubles, according to Olympics.com.

Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion, will mark her return to competitive badminton for the first time since her quarter-final appearance at the Indonesia Masters in January. The 30-year-old had earlier pulled out of the All England Open despite regaining fitness, making her comeback in Ningbo a key development for India's medal hopes.

In men's singles, Lakshya enters the tournament in red-hot form after finishing runner-up at the All England Open. The 24-year-old will be joined by experienced campaigners HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, both former world championship medallists, along with rising talent Ayush Shetty.

India's best-ever performances at the Badminton Asia Championships include two gold medals -- Dinesh Khanna in men's singles (1965) and the Satwik-Chirag duo in men's doubles (2023).

In the absence of the top-ranked pair, the men's doubles challenge will be led by Hariharan Amsakarunan-M R Arjun and Pruthvi K R-Sai Pratheek K.

Sindhu will headline the women's singles draw, where she will be accompanied by Malvika Bansod, Unnati Hooda and promising youngster Tanvi Sharma.

In women's doubles, India will field three pairs following the withdrawal of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.

Meanwhile, the mixed doubles campaign will be led by Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, who were India's top performers last year with a quarter-final finish. They will be supported by Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Shivani, and Ashith Surya-Amrutha Pramuthesh.

With a mix of seasoned names and emerging players, India will look to add to its modest medal tally at the prestigious continental event.

Badminton Asia Championships 2026 badminton: India squad

* Men's singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy

* Men's doubles: Hariharan Amsakarunan-M R Arjun, Pruthvi K R-Sai Pratheek K

* Women's singles: PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma

* Women's doubles: Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi, Priya Konjengbam-Shruti Mishra, Ashwini Bhat K-S Gautam

* Mixed doubles: Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Shivani, Ashith Surya-Amrutha Pramuthesh.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
So excited to see Sindhu back on court! Her return is the biggest story here. Hope she's fully fit and can find her rhythm quickly. The women's singles draw looks promising with the young talent too.
V
Vikram M
Lakshya is in fantastic form after the All England final. This could be his tournament to win. Prannoy and Srikanth bring experience, but we need them to be consistent. The men's doubles teams have big shoes to fill now.
P
Priya S
While the squad looks good on paper, I'm a bit concerned about the depth. Injuries to key players right before a major event is becoming a pattern. Our sports science and fitness management needs a serious look. Wishing all the shuttlers the very best though!
R
Rohit P
Good to see names like Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma getting this exposure. Building for the future is key. Hoping Dhruv and Tanisha can go deep in mixed doubles this time. Chak De India!
M
Michael C
The competition in Asia is brutal, especially against China, Japan, and Indonesia. Even without the top pair, this is a great test for the younger players. Every match will be a learning experience. All the best to the team!

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