Lakshya, Sindhu take centre stage as India seeks singles glory at Badminton Asia Championships

India’s hopes at the Badminton Asia Championships this year now rest squarely on the shoulders of Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu , after reigning men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty withdrew due to Satwik’s lingering shoulder injury.

The 2023 men’s doubles champions had earlier pulled out of the Swiss Open , and coach Tan Kim Her confirmed, “Satwik still has some pain, so they won't be playing this week.” With the doubles duo sidelined, the spotlight shifts to India’s singles stars, who are determined to end a 61-year wait for a continental singles title .

Lakshya Sen , the 24-year-old sensation from Almora , will open his campaign against Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong , aiming to follow in the footsteps of former national champion Dinesh Khanna , the only Indian to win men’s singles gold at the Asian Championships in 1965. Fresh from a runner-up finish at the All England Championships , Lakshya brings both skill and momentum into the tournament.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu returns after a disrupted European tour that saw her stranded in Dubai due to conflicts in West Asia, forcing her withdrawal from the All England Championships . She subsequently skipped the Swiss Open to recuperate and now begins her campaign against Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching , hoping to make a deep run.

India’s singles line-up is further strengthened by HS Prannoy , making a comeback after a shoulder injury, Kidambi Srikanth , and US Open champion Ayush Shetty , who faces China’s fifth seed Li Shi Feng . On the women’s side, apart from Sindhu, players like Unnati Hooda , Tanvi Sharma , and Malvika Bansod will test their mettle against top Asian opponents.

The doubles draws also promise excitement, with Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun facing top-seeded Korean pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, and other duos like P. Krishnamurthy Roy-Sai Pratheek K., Ashwini Bhat K.-Shikha Gautam, and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand Pullela set for challenging matches. India’s mixed doubles teams, led by Rohan Kapoor-Gadde Ruthvika Shivani and Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto, will also be in action.

With a blend of experience, emerging talent, and determination, India enters the Badminton Asia Championships aiming to reclaim singles glory on the continental stage. All eyes will be on Lakshya and Sindhu as they carry the nation’s hopes forward.