The Indian badminton team will compete without its top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, at the upcoming Sudirman Cup 2025. The prestigious mixed-team competition will be held in Xiamen, China, from April 27 to May 4.
Earlier this week, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) had announced the 14-member squad for the Sudirman Cup, which included the Asian Games champions Rankireddy and Shetty. However, the duo, ranked seventh in the world in men’s doubles, have pulled out of the tournament due to illness.
In their absence, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, initially named as backups, will now lead India’s men’s doubles campaign in China.
Rankireddy and Shetty had also missed the Badminton Asia Championships earlier this month due to Rankireddy’s recovery from a back strain.
The Indian team for the Sudirman Cup includes Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy in men’s singles, while PV Sindhu and Anupama Upadhyaya will compete in the women’s singles. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Shruti Mishra, along with Sathish Kumar and Aadya Variyath, will represent India.
India’s Squad for Sudirman Cup 2025:
- Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy
- Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Anupama Upadhyaya
- Men’s Doubles: Hariharan Amsakarunan/Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi
- Women’s Doubles: Tanisha Crasto-Priya Konjengbam
- Mixed Doubles: Dhruv Kapila/Shruti Mishra, Sathish Kumar/Aadya Variyath
India has been placed in Group D alongside Indonesia, Denmark, and England. A total of 16 teams will compete in the 19th edition of the Sudirman Cup.
China, the most successful team in the tournament’s history, has won 13 titles. The Republic of Korea has won four, while Indonesia has claimed one title. India’s best performance came in 2011 and 2017, when they reached the quarter-finals. In the 2023 edition, India was eliminated in the group stage after losses to Malaysia and Chinese Taipei.
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