New Delhi: India would to find a way to counter the late absence of PV Sindhu to battle for a podium finish at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships that begins in Qingdao, China, on Tuesday.
India claimed the bronze medal in its previous edition two years ago in Dubai in which Sindhu played a crucial role. But a day before flying out to China on Februay 8, she was rule d out with a hamstring injury sustained in training in Feb 4.
India would have to take her sudden absence in stride in the biennial event and onus would be on World No. 29 Malvika Bansod to be an able replacement for the two-time Olympic medallist.
Tricky group
India are clubbed with Macau and South Korea in Group D. They open their campaign against Macau on Wednesday, with South Korea awaiting them on Thursday. The top-two finishing team from the group will qualify for the quarter-finals, which India is expected to do.
But it is from then on that India’s road would be tough as they have never managed to win gold at the competition though have had recent success in team events, including a maiden Thomas Cup gold in 2022, the silver at 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships and a men’s silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Several members of those teams, including HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, Ashwini Ponnappa, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are present this time too and much is expected of them.
Doubles duo of Satwik and Chirag have reached the semi-finals at the Malaysia Open and India Open but Prannoy has been bogged down by niggling injuries since the Paris Olympics last year, where he was down with chikungunya.
Lakshya won the Syed Modi tournament but crashed out in the first round in successive tournaments after that.
In women’s doubles, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly are India’s biggest hope, the pair having broken into the world’s top 10 after their maiden super 300 title run at Lucknow and confirming a spot at the BWF World Tour event last year.
The experienced Ashwini Ponnappa will pair up with the young Tanisha Crasto and will look to impress after winning the Guwahati Masters Super 100 last December.
In mixed doubles, Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath will look to carry on the form that allowed them to win gold at the National Games in Dehradun earlier in the month.
India had bagged the bronze medal in Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships’ previous edition two years ago in Dubai Badminton Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
