Sai, Srikanth Named in Squad for Badminton Asia Team Championship

The Indian men’s team had won bronze in Hyderabad in 2016.

Kidambi Srikanth, a former world No 1, has currently slipped down to be ranked 26th.

(Photo: Twitter/@Sporty_Baba)

World Championship bronze medallist B Sai Praneeth will lead Indian men’s challenge at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, to be played in Manila, Philippines from 11-16 February, 2020.

Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and Subhankar Dey make up for the remaining names in the men’s team, which clinched bronze in Hyderabad in 2016. With Olympic qualification being the top priority, the event will also give India’s elite men’s players a chance to notch a few crucial points ahead of the mega quadrennial Games.

In the doubles events, the spotlight will be on Thailand Open champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty while the pair of Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun will aim to impress once again.

In the women’s team event, however, a number of youngsters had been named since the senior players are currently busy with their Olympic preparations.

South Asian Games gold medallist Ashmita Chaliha, Malvika Bansod, Aakarshi Kashyap and Gayatri Gopichand will make the singles unit. The doubles pairs comprise senior national champions Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam, besides K Maneesha and Rutaparna Panda.

Squad

Men: B Sai Praneeth, K Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Subhankar Dey, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun

Women: Ashmita Chaliha, Aakarshi Kashyap, Malvika Bansod, Gayatri Gopichand, Ashwini Bhat, Shikha Gautam, Rutaparna Panda and K Maneesha.