Indian ladies want to excel in the Uber Cup, while men aim to defend their Thomas Cup championship consistently

Star singles players will want to have a steady run as the Indian men begin their difficult task of defending their championship at the Thomas Cup, while a youthful women’s squad, without the legendary P. V. Sindhu, will try to prove themselves as they start their Uber Cup campaign here on Saturday.

India shocked the badminton world two years ago when they won the men’s Thomas Cup, which is regarded as the global championship for teams.

Without the weight of expectations, India proceeded to destroy the greatest teams in the world, writing an unparalleled chapter in the sport’s history. Now, as they prepare for the 33rd edition, they must overcome the formidable opposition once again to demonstrate their might.

But this time, the underdog label won’t apply. All of the clubs will really be vying for the reigning champions, who still have the nucleus of the 2022 squad that created history in Bangkok.

Given its placement in the “Group of Death,” which also includes repeated champions Indonesia, Thailand, and England, India will rely on its previous edition’s expertise.

The Indian men’s campaign will begin against Thailand, which has the support of young Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul and Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the current world champion.

The world’s seventh-ranked duo of Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Fajar Alfian, as well as Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting, who competed in the All England final in March, will be among Indonesia’s strongest players, ranked third.

“This year is going to be hard. Many teams, including China, Denmark, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Indonesia, have two doubles players and three good singles players based on their present form, according to HS Prannoy.

Every Indian player visiting China this week is unique, and a lot may change in two years.

Prannoy, who performed well under duress in the fifth and final singles match, is entering the event having had difficulty throughout the initial part of the season due to a persistent stomach ailment that had previously plagued him.

Though he is now the top-ranked singles player at world number nine, his 90-minute marathon fight on the way to a confidence-boosting victory against China’s Lu Guang Zu proved he is close to recovering and will bear the responsibility of providing the team with a strong start.

After a challenging 2023 and early 2024, Lakshya Sen seems to have regained his form just in time, as seen by his consecutive semifinal results at the French Open and the All England Championships.

After winning all six of his games in 2022, Kidambi Srikanth has fluctuated in form over the last two years. Additionally, he suffered heartbreaking defeats in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Asian Games team championship finals.

Young Priyanshu Rajawat, who was a member of the team that won the epic championship in Bangkok and went on to win his first Super 300 title in Orleans last year, is another player who may be trusted with the third singles spot.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have appeared unbeatable and are entering the prestigious tournament with four consecutive World Tour final appearances, while the rest of the field enjoyed an uneventful run. Together, they will lead India’s campaign.

In addition to finishing in the quarterfinals at the Spain Masters in March, Dhruv Kapila and Arjun MR, who will play the second doubles, have won a couple titles at the Uganda International Challenge and Orlen Polish Open.

Over the last two to three years, we have changed as a team. During the team activities, everyone was able to set aside their personal issues for a week and overcome emotional obstacles far more skillfully, according to Prannoy.

It’s possible that Prannoy and Srikanth may alternate throughout the function, which would increase the pressure on Sen and Rajawat to perform well. Additionally, Kiran George has been in reasonable contact.

With all the major names missing the Uber Cup, Ashmita Chaliha will captain a youthful Indian squad that competed in a series of competitions to earn an Olympic spot in Paris.

When the greenhorns face Canada in Group A to start the season, they will want to put their mental and physical toughness to the test against the best players in the world.

Top seeding and recurring champions The young women’s team’s chances of progressing beyond the group stage are slim given that China and Singapore are also included in their group.

In addition to Ashmita, Isharani Baruah, 15-year-old Tanvi Sharma, and national champion Anmol Kharb—who was India’s standout performance on the way to their first Asia Team Championships title—will also try their luck.

Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam, as well as Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker, will also serve as the doubles pairing for India, who have advanced to the Uber Cup quarterfinals three times: in 1957, 2014, and 2016.