PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen to Headline 14-Member Indian Squad for Asia Mixed Team Championship
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Synopsis
India will be represented by a 14-member team including Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao, China from February 11-16.
Key Takeaways
- PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen lead a 14-member Indian team.
- The championships will take place in Qingdao, China.
- India aims to improve on their bronze medal from last year.
- The tournament features a round-robin format followed by knockout stages.
- Each tie consists of two singles and three doubles matches.
New Delhi, Jan 22 (NationPress) Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and Paris Olympics semifinalist Lakshya Sen will spearhead a robust 14-member Indian contingent at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships scheduled to take place in Qingdao, China from February 11-16. In the previous edition of the championships held in Dubai in 2023, India secured a bronze medal and is now aiming for a better finish in this tournament.
The national selectors prioritized players' world rankings and current performance in assembling the squad, which includes H.S. Prannoy and Malvika Bansod as the second singles players for men and women, respectively.
“The Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships is a prestigious tournament that tests the depth and quality of teams. We performed admirably by clinching the bronze medal two years back, but our goal this year is to reach the finals, where anything is achievable, and we will give our best,” stated Sanjay Mishra, secretary-general of the Badminton Association of India (BAI).
India also boasts a formidable doubles lineup, with the former World No.1 duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty leading the men's doubles, while the women's doubles responsibilities will be managed by the promising pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly alongside Olympians Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto.
Tanisha will also partner with Dhruv Kapila in the mixed doubles, with Sathish Kumar K and Adya Variyath forming the second combination in the lineup.
The tournament will unfold in two phases: the qualification stage, featuring a round-robin format within groups, followed by the knockout stage. The leading two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage.
Each tie will be determined by the outcomes of two singles and three doubles matches. During the group phase, all five matches of each tie will be contested. In the knockout stage, a tie will conclude once a decisive result is achieved. No player is permitted to participate in more than two matches per tie. Each team must nominate at least four players for each tie, comprising two men and two women.
A draw for the knockout stage will occur post the last match of the group phase or once the final tie is conclusively determined.
In the previous edition of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship, India's journey ended in the semifinals with a narrow 2-3 loss to China, resulting in their first-ever medal - a bronze - from this continental championship.
India squad:
Men: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila, MR Arjun, Sathish Kumar K
Women: PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Gayatri Gopichand, Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto, Adya Variyath
