Asian Team Championships: Superstars of Indian badminton in focus as PV Sindhu set to return after injury lay-off

After recovering from a knee injury, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to make her comeback at the Asian Team Championships. She was named in the Indian squad for this prestigious tournament on January 9.

Having sustained a knee injury at the French Open last year, Sindhu has been sidelined from competition. Alongside World No. 8 HS Prannoy, she will lead a formidable Indian team at the continental championships scheduled to take place in Shah Alam, Malaysia, from February 13 to 19.

The team event holds significant importance for Indian shuttlers as they aim to accumulate crucial qualification points in the race to the Paris Olympic qualification.

Besides Sindhu, the women's singles category includes 16-year-old senior national champion Anmol Kharb, Asia Junior Championships medallist Tanvi Sharma, and Ashmita Chaliha.

Sen brothers make it to the national team while HS Prannoy, who secured his first World Championships medal and World Tour title at the Malaysia Masters, will lead the men's team. The squad also features Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lakshya Sen and former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth.

Lakshya has an additional reason to celebrate as his elder brother Chirag will also be part of the team, being recognised for his victorious performance at the Senior National Championships in Guwahati last month.

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, contributors to the Indian team's historic bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 in Dubai, will compete in women's doubles.

The remaining two pairs consist of Guwahati Masters champions Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto, along with the reigning senior national champions Priya Devi Konjengbam-Shruti Mishra.

After securing six titles in 2023, which included gold medals at the Asian Games and Asian Championships, as well as the Indonesia Open Super 1000, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty will take on the responsibility in the men's doubles category.

The former World No. 1 duo will be supported by the senior national champion pair Suraj Goala-Pruthvi Roy and Dhruv Kapila-MR Arjun.

It's worth noting that the Indian men's team has previously earned bronze medals in the 2016 and 2018 editions of the team event.

"With the Olympic games a few months away, this is one of the most important events for our shuttlers considering the Paris Olympic qualification," said Badminton Association of India (BAI) General Secretary Sanjay Mishra in a release.

"We have rewarded the senior national champions as well, with call-up for team India. These are very strong Indian sides, who are capable of going all the way and I am sure they will script history at the prestigious team event."

India squad: Men's Team: Prannoy HS, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Chirag Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila, M R Arjun, Suraj Goala, Pruthvi Roy Women's Team: PV Sindhu, Anmol Kharb, Tanvi Sharma, Ashmita Chaliha, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand, Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto, Priya Devi Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra.
 

(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)

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