Asian Games 2026: PV Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag To Lead A Young Indian Badminton Squad In Japan

Asian Games 2026: India has named a strong badminton squad for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026. PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will lead the campaign, while Lakshya Sen, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also find a place in the team.

The Badminton Association of India selection committee picked the squad after reviewing recent results in national and international events, along with BWF rankings as of May 26, 2026. The Asian Games remain one of the top multi-sport events in Asia, and India will aim to add to its 13 badminton medals.

India’s men’s singles group is led by Lakshya Sen, with H. S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth also included. The men’s team keeps much of the core that won bronze at the BWF Thomas Cup earlier this year and earlier claimed silver in the team event at the last Asian Games.

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Badminton Asia Championships silver medalist Ayush Shetty, BWF World Junior Championships individual silver medalist Tanvi Sharma and team medalist Unnati Hooda have also been selected. The BAI said their inclusion reflects strong recent performances on the international circuit and the wider depth now available across categories.

In a statement, Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary, BAI, said Indian badminton is being shaped by “individual excellence” and growing depth across categories. He noted the return of Satwik-Chirag to top form, Lakshya’s move back into the world’s top 10, and regular results from senior and younger players.

India's women's doubles challenge will be led by Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, with Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi also selected. In singles, PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda will compete in the women's section, while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will take part in mixed doubles.

India's full Asian Games badminton squad also includes established names such as Hariharan Amsakarunan, M. R. Arjun, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Tharun Mannepalli and Tanisha Crasto. The 2022 Asian Games gave India its best badminton return so far, with one gold, one silver and a bronze through H. S. Prannoy.

Asian Games 2026: Indian Badminton Squad