New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) All India Junior ranking medallists Tanvi Patri and Abhinav Garg will lead a strong Indian contingent for the Badminton Asia Junior (U-19) Championships to be held in Yatsushiro, Japan, from June 26-July 5, 2026.

The team championships will be conducted from June 26-30, with the individual championships scheduled thereafter.

Patri and Garg were directly selected for the team after winning the All India U-19 ranking tournament in Bengaluru last month, along with the top doubles pairings in each category.

Boys doubles combination of Punith S. and Pavan S., Diya Bheemaiah B. and Baruni Parshwal (girls doubles), and Punith S. and Deepak Raj Aditi (mixed doubles) were the three direct selections in the paired events.

The rest of the squad was picked following a selection trial at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati as per the guidelines laid out by the Junior Selection Committee, BAI.

“Having won our first mixed team medal at the Junior World Championships last year, we are confident that this group of juniors will continue to build on that performance. All the players are in good form, and we are expecting multiple medals from them,” said Badminton Association of India General Secretary Sanjay Mishra.

In the 2025 edition, India won two bronze medals in girls’ singles.

India squad:

Boys’ singles: Abhinav Garg, Dev Ruparelia, Jagsher Singh Khangurra, Dhyan Santosh

Girls’ singles: Tanvi Patri, Tanvi Reddy Andluri, Adarshini Shri N B, Shaina Manimuthu

Men’s doubles. Pavan S/Punith S, Amarjit Singh Khwairakpam/Divyansh Agrawal

Women’s doubles: Diya Bheemaiah B/Baruni Parshwal; Durga Esha Kandrapu/Keerthy Manchala

Mixed doubles: Punit S/Deepak Raj Aditi; Bjorn Jaison/Dianka Waldia

–IANS

hs/bsk/