World No. 9 H.S. Prannoy and two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu will lead the Indian challenge at the 2023 Sudirman Cup, scheduled in Suzhou, China, from May 14 to 21.
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The senior national selection committee, which met here on Tuesday, named a “balanced” squad with an aim to clinch a first-ever medal in the mixed team championships.
The Indian men had created history last year by winning the Thomas Cup and hopes of a potential podium finished were raised further following the bronze medal-winning performance in the Asian Mixed Team Championships earlier this year.
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India is in Group ‘C’ along with Malaysia, Chinese Taipei and Australia and its first task will be to make it to the knock-out stage.
The return of R. Satwiksairaj, who missed the Asian mixed team event due to injury, will bolster the men’s doubles squad while the experienced Ashwini Ponnappa and new partner Tanisha Castro will provide back-up to All England semifinalists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly.
K. Srikanth and reigning senior National women’s singles champion Anupama Upadhyaya will be the other singles players.
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The team:
Men’s singles: H.S. Prannoy; K. Srikanth (reserve: Lakshya Sen); Doubles: R. Satwiksairaj & Chirag Shetty; M.R. Arjun & Dhruv Kapila.
Women’s singles: P.V. Sindhu; Anupama Upadhyaya (reserve: Aakarshi Kashyap).
Doubles: Gayatri Gopichand & Treesa Jolly; Ashwini Ponnappa & Tanisha Crasto.
Mixed doubles: Tanisha & Sai Pratheek.