India’s medal campaign at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships has suffered a setback with the withdrawal of men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, due to Satwik’s right shoulder injury.
Despite the blow, India will rely on its top singles players Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu to lead India’s medal push at the continental meet scheduled from April 7 to 12 in Ningbo, China.
Sindhu Returns, Sen in Strong Form
With the absence of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the responsibility now shifts to Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu to lead India’s singles challenge. At one of the most competitive events in the continental calendar, India’s chances in singles will largely depend on their performances.
For Sindhu, the Asia Championships offer a chance to return to competition after a disrupted few weeks. She was stranded in Dubai during the All England Open due to the situation in West Asia, forcing a withdrawal, and subsequently sat out the Swiss Open to recover. The tournament in Ningbo is her first competitive outing since then.
Lakshya Sen arrives in Ningbo as one of the in-form players on the circuit. His run to the All England Open final in March, which included a victory over world No. 1 Shi Yuqi, confirmed he can sustain elite-level performance across a demanding week of competition. He became only the second Indian male player to reach the All England final twice, after Prakash Padukone.
Impact of Satwik & Chirag Withdrawal on India’s Campaign
Satwik and Chirag have been amongst India’s most consistently high-performing players on the international stage, because of their many strong results at BWF tournaments and international competitions, they have been instrumental in the growth of the overall medal count for India.
Without a top-ranked doubles pair in contention, India’s prospects in that category take a hit. The singles players have performed better due to increased expectations as a result of Satwik and Chirag winning the Badminton Asia Championships in 2023. Now with Satwik and Chirag not being present India will be entering this year’s tournament without their defending doubles champions.
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Upcoming Match Details: Badminton Asia Championships 2026
India’s campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 begins with a series of opening-round matches across singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles categories, scheduled over the first few days of the competition.
In singles, Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will lead India’s charge, featuring in key early fixtures where a strong start will be crucial to building momentum in a highly competitive field.
In the doubles categories, India’s women’s and mixed doubles pairs are also set to begin their campaigns in the opening rounds, with combinations aiming to find rhythm quickly against established Asian opponents.
As a result, performances across women’s and mixed doubles will play a key role in shaping India’s progress during the early stages of the tournament.
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