India’s campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships has taken a significant early hit, with men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty withdrawing due to Satwik’s persistent shoulder injury.
The duo, who clinched the continental title in 2023, have been struggling with fitness in recent weeks and had also pulled out of the Swiss Open. Their absence leaves India without its strongest doubles medal hope, shifting the burden onto the singles lineup.
Lakshya in focus
All eyes will now be on Lakshya Sen, who arrives in strong form after finishing runner-up at the All England Championships. The 24-year-old has a golden opportunity to end India’s long wait for a men’s singles title at the event—last won by Dinesh Khanna in 1965.
Lakshya opens his campaign against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, carrying both momentum and heightened expectations.
Sindhu returns, Prannoy back
PV Sindhu will also be a key figure for India. The two-time Olympic medallist returns after a disrupted European leg and begins her campaign against Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching. In men’s singles, HS Prannoy makes his return from injury and faces a qualifier, while Kidambi Srikanth takes on Loh Kean Yew. Ayush Shetty, the US Open champion, faces a tough opener against China’s Li Shi Feng.
Doubles depth to be tested
With Satwik and Chirag out, India’s remaining doubles pairs will need to step up against strong Asian competition across men’s, women’s, and mixed categories.
Big picture
The withdrawal of India’s premier doubles pair is a major setback, but it also opens the door for the singles contingent to take centre stage. For Lakshya Sen, in particular, this could be a defining moment—one that carries both the weight of expectation and the promise of history.
Comments are closed.