The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has named a balanced squad combining experienced stars and promising youngsters for the upcoming Thomas Cup and Uber Cup, scheduled to be held in Horsens from April 24 to May 3.
India’s men’s team, which created history by winning the Thomas Cup in 2022, will once again rely on the experienced core of Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy in singles, while the world-class doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will anchor the doubles lineup. Youngster Ayush Shetty has earned his maiden call-up following a string of impressive performances on the senior circuit.
In the women’s competition, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will lead India’s challenge, guiding a young squad that includes rising star Unnati Hooda. The experienced doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will also play a crucial role as the team aims to improve on its previous semifinal finishes.
The squads were selected based on Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings as of March 10 (Week 11), with the top five singles players and top two doubles pairs automatically qualifying. Additional selections were made to strengthen team combinations, with players such as Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto included due to their versatility across doubles formats.
“We have a good mix of youth and experience in both teams. The senior players bring stability, and the youngsters are in great form. They’ve shown they can deliver at this level, which gives us confidence going into the tournament,” said Sanjay Mishra.
The men’s squad also sees the return of M.R. Arjun, who has worked his way back from injury with consistent performances. He strengthens the doubles department alongside Hariharan Amsakarunan, while Kiran George adds depth to the singles lineup.
On the women’s side, Devika Sihag earned selection following her title-winning run at the Thailand Masters earlier this year, while Isharani Baruah impressed with a semifinal finish at the Orleans Masters. Teenager Tanvi Sharma continues to build her reputation as one of the country’s brightest prospects.
The doubles unit also features debutant Kavipriya Selvam, who will partner Simran Singhi, while Tanisha Crasto completes the doubles lineup.
The India’s men’s team has been placed in Group A alongside defending champions China, Pan Am champions Canada and Oceania champions Australia. The women’s team faces a challenging group featuring European runners-up Denmark, bronze medallists Ukraine and defending champions China.
At the previous edition in Chengdu in 2024, the Indian men lost to eventual champions China in the quarter-finals, while the women’s team also exited at the same stage after a defeat to Japan. Historically, Indonesia remain the most successful side in the Thomas Cup with 14 titles, while China lead the Uber Cup standings with 16 titles.