The star players in the singles will look to make a consistent run as the Indian men embark on a tough journey to defend their Thomas Cup title, while the young women’s team, without the unparalleled PV Sindhu, will look to punch above its weight when His career begins. In the Uber Cup here on Saturday.
Just two years ago, India shocked the badminton world when it won its maiden Thomas Cup title, the men’s world team championship.
Without the burden of expectations, India continued to dismantle the best teams in the world to write an unprecedented chapter in the history of the sport, and now they return for the 33rd edition with the daunting task of once again showcasing their mettle against the top echelons of the world. Sports.
However, the underdog tag will not be there this time. In fact, all teams will be seeking to include the defending champions, who have retained the 2022 squad that made history in Bangkok.
India will build on the experience of the last edition as they were placed in the ‘Group of Death’ which includes multiple winners Indonesia, Thailand and England in Group C.
The Indian men will start their campaign against Thailand, who back current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn and youngster Panichavun Teraratsakul.
But the highlight will be third-seeded Indonesia, which includes the likes of Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting – both of whom played in the All England finals in March – and world No. 7 pair Mohamed Ryan Ardianto and Fajr Alfian.
“It will be tough this year. Based on the current form, there are a lot of teams who have three strong singles teams and two doubles players like China, Denmark, China Taipei, Japan and Indonesia,” HS Prannoy told PTI.
A lot can happen in two years and none of the Indian players coming to China this week will be the same.
Prannoy, who delivered the goods under pressure in the deciding fifth singles, enters the tournament after struggling in the first half of the season with a chronic stomach disorder that has returned after bothering him in the past.
However, his marathon 90-minute battle en route to victory over China’s Lu Guangzhou showed that he is close to recovery and will bear the responsibility of giving the team a good start as he is the highest-ranked singles player in the tournament. World No. 9 now.
Lakshya Sen has found his mojo at the right time with back-to-back semi-finals at the French Open and All England Championships after struggling in 2023 and early 2024.
Kidambi Srikanth, who won all six matches in 2022, has been inconsistent in the last two years. He also suffered heavy losses in the final of the team tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Asian Games.
Another player who could be entrusted with the third single is youngster Priyanshu Rajawat, who was part of the team that won the epic title in Bangkok and has since gone on to claim his first Super 300 title last year in Orleans.
While the rest had inconsistent performances, Satwiksraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty looked unstoppable and enter the prestigious event with four consecutive World Tour finals on their hands. The duo will spearhead India’s campaign.
Dhruv Kapila and Arjun MR, who will play second doubles, have registered some wins at the Uganda International Challenge and Orlen Polish Open, besides reaching the quarter-finals at the Spanish Masters in March.
“We have grown as a team in the last 2-3 years. Everyone was able to put aside their individual problems for one week and were able to overcome emotional challenges in a much better way during team events,” Prannoy said.
Prannoy and Srikanth are likely to be rotated during the event, putting the bulk of the onus on Sen and Rajawat to execute. There’s also Kieran George, who has been in good touch.
In the Uber Cup, Ashmita Chaliha will lead a young Indian team with all the senior players skipping the tournament after competing in a series of tournaments to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
The Green Team will look to test its mental and physical fortitude against the best international players when it opens its campaign against Canada in Group A.
The top seeds and multiple winners, China and Singapore, are also in their group, making it unlikely for the young women’s team to advance past the group stage.
Along with Ashmita, national champion Anmol Kharp, who the Indian star was on course for his maiden Asian Team Championship title, will be looking to test his skills as will 15-year-old Isharani Baruah and Tanvi Sharma.
India, who have reached the semi-finals of the Uber Cup three times in 1957, 2014 and 2016, will also benefit from the pairings of Shruti Mishra and Priya Kunjengbam, and Simran Singhi and Ritika Thakur.
