Sudirman Cup 2023: HS Prannoy And PV Sindhu To lead India At Mixed Team Championships Tournament

New Delhi, April 19: World No. 9 HS Prannoy and former world champion PV Sindhu to lead the Indian team for the 2023 Sudirman Cup, which is set to be played in Suzhou, China from May 14-21.

The senior national selection committee, which met in New Delhi on Tuesday (April 18), followed the guidelines announced on January 3, 2023 to select a balanced squad with an aim to clinch a first-ever medal in the Mixed Team Championships.

Indian men had created history last year by winning the prestigious Thomas Cup and hopes of a potential podium finished were raised further following the bronze winning performance in the Asian Mixed Team championships earlier this year.

"Sudirman Cup is a prestigious tournament and the selectors have picked the best squad after studying the domestic and international results. We are confident that this team will challenge for a medal this year," said Badminton Association of India secretary Sanjay Mishra.

India have been grouped in Group C along with Malaysia, Chinese Taipei and Australia and their first task will be to make it to the knock-out stage from a potentially trick group.

The return of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, who missed the Asian Mixed Team event due to injury, will bolster the men's doubles squad that also includes his partner Chirag Shetty as well another pair of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila.

Meanwhile, in women's doubles, the experienced Ashwini Ponnappa and new partner Tanisha Castro will provide back up to the All England semi-finalists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly. Crasto will also partner Sai Pratheek in mixed doubles.

Kidambi Srikanth and reigning senior national women's singles champion Anupama Upadhyaya will be the other singles players in the squad. Lakshya Sen and Aakarshi Kashyap, meanwhile, are the reserves for the singles players.

Indian team for Sudirman Cup 2023

Men's singles: HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth (Reserve: Lakshya Sen)

Women's singles: PV Sindhu, Anupama Upadhyaya (Reserve: Aakarshi Kashyap)

Men's doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun/Dhruv Kapila

Women's doubles: Gayatri Gopichand/Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa/Tanisha Crasto

Mixed doubles: Tanisha Crasto/Sai Pratheek

Source: BAI Release