The Badminton Association of India on Tuesday unveiled India’s men’s and women’s squads for the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cup 2026 Finals, scheduled to take place in Horsens, Denmark from April 24 to May 3.
The men’s team features a strong core of experienced players who were instrumental in India’s historic Thomas Cup triumph in 2022. Leading the singles lineup are Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and H. S. Prannoy. The formidable doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also returns to anchor the side.
A notable inclusion is young shuttler Ayush Shetty, who earns his maiden call-up following consistent performances on the senior circuit. India has been placed in a challenging Group A alongside powerhouse China, Canada, and Australia.
In the women’s competition, two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu will spearhead India’s campaign. She will be supported by the dynamic doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand Pullela and Treesa Jolly.
The squad also reflects a clear focus on youth, with promising talents such as Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, and Isharani Baruah earning spots after strong recent performances. The women’s team faces a tough Group A lineup featuring China, Denmark, and Ukraine.
Selections were finalized based on the Badminton World Federation rankings as of March 10 (Week 11), with the top five singles players and top two doubles pairs automatically qualifying. Additional players, including Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, were chosen to strengthen team combinations due to their versatility across doubles formats.
BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra emphasized the balance within the squads, stating, “We have a good mix of youth and experience in both teams. The senior players bring stability, and the youngsters are in great form. They’ve shown they can deliver at this level, which gives us confidence going into the tournament.”
Full Squads:
Men: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, H. S. Prannoy, Kiran George, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, M. R. Arjun, Dhruv Kapila
Women: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto
