New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) PV Sindhu, a two-time Asian Games medalist, and the 2022 Asiad men’s doubles gold winners, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, will lead a strong Indian team in the badminton championships at the 20th Asian Games, scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

The Asian Games are one of the world’s most esteemed multi-sport events and a top sporting accolade in Asia, uniting the continent’s best athletes in their quest for national pride. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) selection committee confirmed the team after assessing recent results from national and international tournaments and BWF rankings as of May 26, 2026.

Led by India’s top-ranked men’s singles player Lakshya Sen, the team also includes seasoned players H. S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, who were instrumental in India’s historic silver medal at the previous edition. The men’s team retains much of the core of the bronze-medal squad from this year’s BWF Thomas Cup.

Reflecting the rise of a new generation, Ayush Shetty, who won a silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships, along with Tanvi Sharma, a silver medalist at the BWF World Junior Championships Individual Championship, and Unnati Hooda, a Team Championship medalist, have all been selected after a series of impressive performances on the international circuit.

“Indian badminton today is in a position where success is being shaped not just by individual excellence, but by the growing depth of talent across categories. Over the last few months, we have seen encouraging signs across the board- Satwik-Chirag back to their best, Lakshya returning to the world’s top 10, the men’s team reaching another Thomas Cup podium, Sindhu and our senior players delivering consistently, and younger athletes stepping up with strong performances and important results internationally. This squad reflects that journey, a blend of experience, depth, and emerging talent, and we believe it has the quality and character to compete strongly at the Asian Games and make the country proud,” said Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary, BAI.

India heads into Aichi-Nagoya with strong momentum. Indian badminton has accumulated 13 medals in Asian Games history, including a notable gold at the last edition. The 2022 Games were India’s most successful badminton run, with one gold, one silver, and an individual bronze won by Prannoy. The country’s highest medal count was five bronze medals at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games.

The Indian squad will feature established pairs across different categories. Men’s doubles team Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun arrive in strong form; Arjun also has experience from India’s silver medal at the 2022 men’s team event. Women’s doubles duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand continue to lead India’s doubles efforts, supported by the consistently improving Simran Singhi and Kavipriya Selvam. Thailand Masters Super 300 champion Devika Sihag, along with Isharani Baruah and Tharun Mannepalli, further enhances India’s singles strength. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bring additional skill and experience to the doubles squad.

At the Individual Championships, India will compete in all five disciplines. Sen and Shetty will participate in men’s singles, while Sindhu and Hooda will lead the women’s singles. In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj-Chirag and Hariharan-Arjun will compete. Treesa-Gayatri and Kavipriya-Simran will represent India in women’s doubles. The top mixed doubles team, Dhruv and Tanisha, will also take part.

Asian Games 2026, Team India in Full:

Team Championship

Men’s Team: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, H. S. Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Tharun Mannepalli, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, M. R. Arjun, Dhruv Kapila

Women’s Team: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Devika Sihag, Tanvi Sharma, Isharani Baruah, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto

Individual Championship

Men’s Singles (MS): Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty

Women’s Singles (WS): PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda

Men’s Doubles (MD): Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty; Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun

Women’s Doubles (WD): Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela; Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi

Mixed Doubles (XD): Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto

–IANS

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