Young Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth will be expected to lead India’s campaign at the BWF World Championship, commencing in Tokyo on Monday. PV Sindhu will be absent in the tournament due to injury for the first time in ten years.Â
Sindhu is a huge figure in the BWF’s most prestigious and competitive competition, with five medals, including gold in 2019. But an ankle injury en route to a maiden Commonwealth Games championship success crushed her chances of travelling to the Japanese capital. Thus, The burden of extending India’s outstanding run in the competition falls to Lakshya and the seasoned combination of Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth.
In 11 years, the Indian badminton team has never left the BWF World Championship empty-handed. By winning silver and bronze, respectively, Srikanth and Lakshya had guaranteed that India would be on the podium in 2021.
In 2021, the competition was thinned by the absence of Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting and Japan’s Kento Momota. This time, though, there has been no such withdrawal.
Men shuttlers
In addition, considering their recent successes, there will be great expectations of the Indian men shuttlers.
Lakshya has been on an incredible run this season and will enter the top event as one of the favourites. He is bursting with confidence after winning a CWG gold on his debut.
Since his return from Huelva in December, Lakshya’s reputation has grown. He won his first Super 500 title at the India Open, placed second at the All England Championships. The athlete also helped India win the Thomas Cup for the first time in May.
However, the trio will become adversaries this week after getting struck in the same area. If Prannoy succeeds to defeat former world number one and second seed Momota in the second round, Lakshya, who is placed ninth, may face him in the third round.
Prannoy has been one of the most reliable players on the circuit. He would be eager to keep up his remarkable run after this season.
The 12-seed Srikanth was outstanding in Bangkok, and India’s Thomas Cup victory was much aided by his undefeated streak. However, his confidence suffered after he was defeated twice by Malaysian Ng Tze Yong in the Birminghim CWG.
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, who won India’s first gold medal in men’s doubles at the CWG earlier this month, will also be the focus of attention.
Women Players
Saina Nehwal, who was previously the centre of attention, will be out of the spotlight.
The renowned shuttler, who won a silver and a bronze at the Worlds, has recently fallen short of expectations due to injuries.
In the women’s doubles competition, teams like Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, and others will compete. The teams won bronze medals at the CWG in 2018 and 2022.
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Also Read:- BWF Worlds: Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy win, Praneeth loses | Badminton NewsÂ
