India has named a formidable badminton squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, with two-time Asian Games medallist P. V. Sindhu and defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty leading the country’s challenge for honours.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) finalised the squad after assessing players’ performances in national and international competitions, along with the latest BWF rankings as of May 26, 2026. The selected team blends experienced campaigners with a promising group of young players who have impressed on the global stage in recent months.
India’s men’s singles challenge will be spearheaded by Lakshya Sen, currently the country’s highest-ranked player in the discipline. He will be joined by seasoned stars H. S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, both of whom were part of India’s memorable silver-medal-winning men’s team at the previous Asian Games.
The men’s squad retains much of the nucleus that helped India secure a bronze medal at the BWF Thomas Cup earlier this year, underlining the selectors’ faith in a group that has consistently delivered on major stages.
The spotlight will also be on Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who created history at the last Asian Games by winning India’s first-ever badminton gold medal at the event. As defending champions in men’s doubles, the pair will enter the tournament carrying high expectations as they aim to repeat their success in Japan.
India’s women’s campaign will once again revolve around P. V. Sindhu, one of the country’s most accomplished badminton players. A two-time Asian Games medallist, Sindhu brings invaluable experience and pedigree to the squad as India seeks to improve its standing in the continental competition.
The selection also highlights the rise of a new generation of Indian badminton talent. Ayush Shetty, who claimed a silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships, has earned his place in the team. Joining him are rising stars Tanvi Sharma, a silver medallist at the BWF World Junior Championships, and Unnati Hooda, who impressed as part of a medal-winning team campaign at the junior level.
India heads into the Games with growing confidence. The nation has won 13 badminton medals in Asian Games history, with the landmark gold achieved by Satwik and Chirag at the previous edition marking a significant milestone. The squad will now look to build on that success and add more medals to India’s growing badminton legacy.
Individual Championship
Men’s Singles (MS): Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty
Women’s Singles (WS): PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda
Men’s Doubles (MD): Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty; Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun
Women’s Doubles (WD): Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela; Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi
Mixed Doubles (XD): Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto
Team Championship
Men’s Team: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, H. S. Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Tharun Mannepalli, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, M. R. Arjun, Dhruv Kapila
Women’s Team: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Devika Sihag, Tanvi Sharma, Isharani Baruah, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto
