Ningbo (China): As the Badminton Asia Championships 2025 kicked off in Ningbo, China, a mixed bag of experienced stalwarts and rising stars from India were set to launch their continental campaign with hopes of a strong showing.
However, the Indian squad will be missing some big names, with notable withdrawals including the women’s doubles World No. 9 pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, along with the defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Despite the setback, the Indian challenge will be spearheaded by the trio of Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and PV Sindhu — all determined to bounce back from a string of inconsistent performances in recent months.
India’s top two men’s singles players, Lakshya (World No. 18) and Prannoy (World No. 17), headline the singles draw. Sen, a bronze medallist at the 2021 World Championships, begins his campaign against Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chia-Hao, who was a finalist at the All England Championships earlier this season. Prannoy, still regaining full form after a bout of chikungunya, will face a tough test in his opener against China’s Guang Zu Lu.
The Indian contingent also includes Kiran George (World No. 34) and Priyanshu Rajawat (World No. 35). George will open against a qualifier, while Rajawat is set to face Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen.
In the women’s singles, PV Sindhu returns to the court seeking momentum after slipping to World No. 17. The two-time Olympic medallist opens her campaign against Indonesia’s Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo. However, the road ahead is tough for the rest of the Indian contingent.
