New Delhi, March 24 (). The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has selected a mixed squad of experienced players and in-form youngsters for the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals. The men’s team will be supported by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in doubles, while Lakshya Sen will lead the way in singles. A combination of players from different eras will be seen in the Uber Cup team. Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will lead the emerging generation, which includes promising players like Unnati Hooda.
This prestigious tournament will be held in Horsens, Denmark from 24 April to 3 May. The upcoming Thomas Cup will be the 34th edition of the tournament, while the Uber Cup returns for its 31st edition.
The men’s team has retained the core squad that led India to a historic Thomas Cup title in 2022. In this, Sen, Srikanth and HS Prannoy will lead the singles, and they will be accompanied by the established pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the doubles. Young shuttler Ayush Shetty has got a place in the team for the first time after consistently good performances in the senior circuit.
In the women’s competition, Sindhu will lead the Indian challenge, along with top doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand and Tressa Jolly. The team aims to better its previous semi-final performance. Hooda is joined by a group of in-form young players, including Devika Sihag, Isharani Barua and teenager Tanvi Sharma.
Players were selected based on the BWF rankings as of 10 March (week 11), which included the top five singles players and the top two doubles pairs. Keeping in mind the coordination of the team, some additional players were also included. These include players like Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, who have got a place in the team on the basis of their experience in different formats of doubles.
MR Arjun has also returned to the men’s team. After recovering from injury, he has made a comeback with consistent good results, and has strengthened the doubles lineup along with Hariharan Amaskarunan. Dhruv adds additional support and experience to the doubles lineup, while Kiran George provides further depth to the team in singles.
In the women’s team, Devika has been selected on the basis of her stellar performance in winning the title at the Thailand Masters earlier this year, while Isharani joins the team after reaching the semi-finals at the Orleans Masters. Tanvi continues to cement her reputation as one of the game’s most promising players, while Hooda has won three senior titles so far based on her rapid progress.
Kavipriya Selvam is also set to make her debut in the doubles lineup, which will provide new depth to the team. Kavipriya will pair with Simran Singhi, and Tanisha Crasto will complete the doubles unit.
2022 Thomas Cup winners India have been placed in Group A along with defending champions and top seeds China, Pan Am champions Canada and Oceania champions Australia.
However, the path to the knockout stages is a bit tougher for the women’s team as they have been drawn in the same group with European Team Championship runners-up Denmark, bronze medalist Ukraine and defending champions China.
In the last edition of the Thomas and Uber Cup held in Chengdu in 2024, the Indian men’s team lost to eventual winners China in the quarter-finals, while the women’s team also lost to Japan in the quarter-finals. Indonesia is the most successful team in the Thomas Cup with 14 titles, while China is the most successful team in the Uber Cup with 16 titles.
Men’s team: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Kiran George, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Emsakarunan, MR Arjun, Dhruv Kapila.
Women’s team: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Isharani Barua, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto.
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