New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will lead a 24-member Indian contingent at the Australian Open 2026, with experienced campaigners HS Prannoy and rising star Ayush Shetty hoping to make a strong impression when the BWF Super 500 tournament gets underway in Sydney on Tuesday.

India, however, will miss some of its star performers, as defending men’s singles champion Lakshya Sen pulled out of this year’s tournament, while former world No 1 Kidambi Srikanth, who bagged the title in 2017, is also sitting out this event.

This puts a spotlight on Sindhu, who heads a powerful Indian women’s singles challenge in the Quaycentre in Sydney. Alongside the former world champion in the main draw, former Asian junior champion Malvika Bansod, Anmol Kharb, Tanvi Sharma, Isharani Baruah, Aakarshi Kashyap, and Tanya Hemnath will compete in the women’s singles, while Imad Farooqui and Samiya will start from the qualifying rounds.

India’s challenge in the men’s singles draw will be led by the trio of Prannoy, Ayush Shetty, and Kiran George. The three all suffered a first-round exit in last week’s Indonesia Open and would look to make amends by reaching the later stages in Sydney.

Youngsters Tharun Mannepalli, Saneeth Dayanand, and Manraj Singh form the rest of India’s challenge in men’s singles, with the latter two starting from the qualifiers.

Injury concerns have also hit India’s men’s doubles bid. Asian Games gold medallists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will miss out after Satwik aggravated a shoulder injury that he sustained in last week’s Indonesia Open.

The pair of MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan will carry India’s hopes in the men’s doubles after reaching the quarter finals in Jakarta, while Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Arjun Reddy Pochana make their second appearance on the BWF World Tour event after the Spain Masters.

There is no Indian representation in the women’s doubles competition this year.

India’s challenge in the mixed doubles is spearheaded by Dhruv Kapila and Olympian Tanisha Crasto, who will be accompanied by the pair of Dhruv Rawat and Manisha Keer and siblings Mohit Jaglan and Lakshita Jaglan.

–IANS

hs/bsk/