A depleted Indian women’s badminton team will face a stern test in defending its title at the Badminton Asia Team Championships beginning here on Tuesday, while the men will bank on experience and depth to mount a strong podium challenge.
India created history by winning their maiden women’s team gold at the last edition in Malaysia, but the absence of two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu, who withdrew due to a niggle, has dented the team’s medal prospects.
With Sindhu sidelined, the responsibility in women’s singles shifts to a younger core led by Tanvi Sharma. The 17-year-old from Punjab, part of the gold-winning squad in 2024, has emerged as one of India’s brightest prospects after claiming silver at the World Junior Championships in Guwahati and finishing runner-up at the US Open Super 300.
Tanvi has made an encouraging start to the season, stretching World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi and World No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki to deciders at the India Open and Indonesia Masters.
Eighteen-year-old Unnati Hooda also arrives in form after a successful 2025 season that saw her attain a career-high world ranking of No. 23 and defeat Sindhu at the China Open. The youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title, Unnati closed last year with a title at the Odisha Masters.
The women’s singles line-up also includes Malvika Bansod and Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj. In doubles, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will spearhead the challenge after defending their Syed Modi International title in December, supported by Priya Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra and Tanisha Crasto.
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India open their women’s campaign against Myanmar on Wednesday before taking on Thailand in Group Y.
The men’s team, bronze medallists in 2016 and 2020, appear better placed with a seasoned core that also won the historic Thomas Cup gold in 2022.
World No. 13 Lakshya Sen will lead the side, alongside former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, all three world championship medallists.
Lakshya has been in good touch after winning the Australian Open last year and reaching the Hong Kong Open final, while Srikanth finished runner-up at the Malaysia Masters and Syed Modi International. Prannoy, however, has endured a difficult phase.
Rising youngster Ayush Shetty, the US Open Super 300 champion, and Tharun Mannepalli add depth to the singles department.
In doubles, former world No. 1 pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will once again be central to India’s hopes after a subdued start to the season. Sai Pratheek K, Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Hariharan Amsakarunan complete the doubles line-up.
Placed in Group C, the men will begin their campaign against Singapore on Wednesday before a tougher encounter against Japan. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals of the biennial continental event.
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