The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday announced a balanced mix of experience and emerging talent for the finals of the Thomas and Uber Cup 2026 to be held in Horsens, Denmark from April 24 to May 3. The squads feature a strong core of established stars alongside a promising group of youngsters who have impressed on the international circuit in recent months.
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The Indian men’s team is spearheaded by Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, with the experienced trio forming the backbone of the singles line-up. Kiran George is also in the squad to add depth, while young shuttler Ayush Shetty has earned his first call-up after a string of consistent performances at senior level.
Lakshya will have great confidence after having made it to the final of the All England Open in March.
In the doubles, India will once again rely on the proven pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have been instrumental in the team’s success in recent years. The duo, along with Sen, Srikanth and Prannoy, were part of the historic Indian team that secured the Thomas Cup title in 2022 – a landmark in the country’s badminton history.
The men’s team also sees the return of MR Arjun, who has battled back from injury with consistent results to bolster the doubles team alongside Hariharan Amsakarunan. Dhruv Kapila, known for his versatility across doubles formats, further strengthens the line-up.
India have been drawn alongside China, Canada and Australia in Group A of the Thomas Cup. The women’s team will face China, Denmark and Ukraine in Group A of the Uber Cup.
SINDHU TO LEAD THE WOMEN’S TEAM
In the women’s competition, India’s campaign will be spearheaded by two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu supported by rising star Unnati Hooda. The team will be looking to improve on their previous semi-final finishes and set themselves up for a stronger title this year.
Sindhu will return to action for the first time since March when she missed the All England Open and the Swiss Open stuck in Dubai during the conflict in West Asia.
The women’s team has a host of in-form youngsters including Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag and Isharani Baruah. Devika’s inclusion follows her impressive win at the Thailand Masters earlier this season, while Isharani earned her place after reaching the semi-finals at the Orleans Masters. Tanvi, one of India’s brightest prospects, continues to build her reputation on the international stage, while Hood’s rapid rise has already yielded three senior titles.
India’s doubles hopes in the women’s section will rest heavily on the established pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly. The line-up also includes Tanisha Crasto, who brings valuable experience across doubles. Kavipriya Selvam will make her debut in the tournament and will partner Simran Singhi, adding new depth to the team.
Selection was based primarily on the BWF rankings as of 10 March (Week 11), with the top five players in singles and the top two pairs in doubles securing automatic qualification. Other selections were made with team combinations and tactical flexibility in mind.
“We have a good mix of youth and experience in both teams. The senior players bring stability and the youngsters are in great form. They have shown that they can play at this level, which gives us confidence going into the tournament,” BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra said.
INDIAN TEAM FOR THOMAS CUP
Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Kiran George, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, MR Arjun, Dhruv Kapila
INDIAN TEAM FOR UBER CUP
PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
24 March 2026 18:06 IST
