Badminton Asia Mixed Team: India faces tough test without PV Sindhu – Preview

The 2025 Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (BAMTC) is set to begin on Tuesday in Qingdao, China, with India looking to improve on their bronze medal finish from the previous edition.

However, their preparations suffered a major setback with PV Sindhu withdrawing due to a hamstring injury.

India will now rely on their men’s singles and doubles team, along with rising women’s singles player Malvika Bansod, as they aim to compete against the continent’s best.

PV Sindhu’s absence and what it means for India

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu sustained a hamstring injury during a training camp in Guwahati last week, forcing her to withdraw from the tournament.

Her absence will be a significant blow, as she was instrumental in India’s bronze-medal run in 2023.

With Sindhu out, Malvika Bansod, ranked world No. 29, will now take charge of the women’s singles discipline for India.

While Bansod has shown promise, she lacks the big-match experience that Sindhu brings, making India’s path to the later stages of the tournament more difficult.

India's biggest challenge will be maintaining consistency through the knockout stages.

If players like Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and the Satwik-Chirag duo perform at their peak, India could still be in contention for a historic first final appearance at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships.

India’s squad Badminton Asia Mixed Team C'ships

India will field a 13-member squad, consisting of a mix of experienced shuttlers and young talent.

Men’s Team: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila, MR Arjun, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran

Women’s Team: Malvika Bansod, Gayatri Gopichand, Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto, Aadya Variyath

The men’s singles challenge will be led by Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, currently among the top-ranked men’s doubles pairs, will be key to India’s hopes.

In the women’s doubles, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will look to maintain their impressive form.

Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, who won the Guwahati Masters Super 100 in December, will also be a strong pairing.

The mixed doubles combination of Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath, fresh from a gold medal at the National Games in Dehradun, will make their team-event debut.

India’s group and schedule

India has been placed in Group D, alongside South Korea and Macau China.

February 12: India vs Macau China

February 13: India vs South Korea

The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarterfinals. While India is expected to overcome Macau China, their match against South Korea, a two-time runner-up, will be a crucial test.

India’s recent Team Tournament performances

India has made significant strides in team badminton over the last few years. Their biggest achievements include:

First-ever Thomas Cup gold in 2022

Women's team Gold at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024

Men’s team silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023

This success gives the squad confidence, but Sindhu’s absence and concerns over Prannoy’s fitness could make things challenging.

Key contenders and past winners

The Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships has been dominated by powerhouses China and Japan in past editions.

China won in 2019 and 2023, Japan secured the title in 2017 and the 2021 edition was canceled due to COVID-19.

India has never reached the final but will be determined to break new ground this time.

Where to watch?

Live scores will be available on BWF.com, and while an official broadcaster for India has not been confirmed, matches are likely to be streamed on the Badminton Asia YouTube channel, as was the case in 2023.