New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS): Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu will not be part of India's squad for the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (BAMTC) to be played in Qingdao, China, from February 11-16. Sindhu revealed that she sustained a hamstring injury that will take longer to recover than expected.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share I won’t be traveling with the team for BAMTC 2025. While training on the 4th in Guwahati, I felt a twinge in my hamstring. Despite my efforts to push through with heavy taping for our country, an MRI has revealed that my recovery will take slightly longer than I initially expected," Sindhu wrote on X.
"Wishing the team all the very best. I will be cheering from the sidelines," she added.
India secured a bronze medal in the previous edition of the BAMTC, with Sindhu playing a key role in the squad. She was expected to lead the women's singles charge once again this year. However, ahead of the India Open, Sindhu had emphasised that one of her main goals for the year was to remain injury-free.
With Sindhu unavailable, the responsibility for women's singles is likely to fall on Malvika Bansod, currently India's No. 2 in the world rankings. It remains uncertain whether a replacement will be named for Sindhu.
India have been placed in Group D of BAMTC, alongside 2023 runners-up South Korea and Macau. The team will begin their campaign against Macau on February 12, followed by a crucial encounter against South Korea on February 13 at the Conson Gymnasium in Qingdao, China.
India squad
Men: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila, MR Arjun, Sathish Kumar K.
Women: PV Sindhu (ruled out due to injury), Malvika Bansod, Gayatri Gopichand, Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto, Adya Variyath.