The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Thursday announced India’s squads for major competitions in 2022, including the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Thomas and Uber Cup.

As expected, reigning Commonwealth Games gold medalist Saina Nehwal did not make the cut but teen sensation Unnati Hooda, 14, was named in the squad for Asian Games.

The squads for the major events were announced after a 6-day selection trial in New Delhi. Hooda became the youngest Indian badminton player in the Asian Games squad.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will spearhead the women’s challenge in both the Commonwealth and Asian Games while London Olympics bronze winner Saina Nehwal did not expectedly feature in the squads.

World Championships medallists Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth will lead India’s medal quest among men in the Birmingham CWG (July 28 to August 8) and Asian Games (September 10-25 ) in Hangzhou, China.

Apart from the squads for the three major tournaments which are to be held this year, the BAI also finalised the names of 40 players (20 men and 20 women) for the senior national coaching camp and core group for the 2024 Olympic Games, based on players’ positions in trials.

For the Commonwealth Games, the men’s team consists of Sen, Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and B Sumeeth Reddy while Sindhu will lead the women’s squad which has Aakarshi Kashyap, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri P and Ashwini Ponappa.

Sumeet Reddy and Ponappa made the cut in the men’s and women’s squads respectively for the Commonwealth Games after their top-place finish in the mixed doubles category.

Presenting the Indian squad for the #CWG2022, #AsianGames2022 and #TUC2022 after a week long #BAISelectionTrials where 120 players went through a league-based trials ????

All the best team ??#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/6FKNb16hP5

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 21, 2022

HOODA IMPRESSES

Hooda, the teenage sensation from Rohtak, caught the selectors’ eyes as she secured a place for the Asian Games as well as Uber Cup by finishing third in the women’s singles after Kashyap and Ashmita Chaliha, who claimed first and second positions respectively.

A 10-member women’s team for the Asian Games and Uber Cup will comprise Sindhu, Kashyap, Chaliha, Hooda alongside Top-3 doubles pairs from the trials — Treesa Jolly-Gayatri P, N Sikki Reddy- Ashwini Ponappa and Tanisha Crasto-Shruti Mishra.

Sindhu, Sen, Srikanth and men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj and Shetty were awarded direct entry into the squads for their world rankings inside Top-15.

In-form shuttler HS Prannoy has also been included as part of the automatic selection for his consistent impressive recent form at the international circuit.

Priyanshu Rajawat, who claimed the top spot in the men’s singles category, also made his way into the 10-man contingent for the Asian Games and Thomas Cup alongside Sen, Srikanth and Prannoy.

The team also has Satwiksairaj and Shetty and the Top-2 doubles pairs from the trials — Dhruv Kapila-MR Arjun and Vishnu Vardhan Goud-Krishna Prasad Gariga.World No. 23 Saina Nehwal had chosen to stay away from the trials after questioning the decision of the national selectors to keep her out but retain men’s World No. 23 H S Prannoy in the national team.

INDIA SQUADS

Commonwealth Games: Men: Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and B Sumeeth Reddy.

Women: PV Sindhu, Aakarshi Kashyap, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri P, Ashwini Ponappa.

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Asian Games, Thomas & Uber Cup: Men: Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Priyanshu Rajawat, Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Dhruv Kapila, MR Arjun, Vishnu Vardhan Goud, Krishna Prasad Gariga.

Women: PV Sindhu, Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, Unnati Hooda, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri P, N Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponappa, Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra. (With PTI Inputs)