P V Sindhu pulls out of Badminton Asia Team Championship

In Sindhu's absence, India’s medal prospects appear slim at the continental event, which begins on February 3 in Qingdao.

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu has pulled out of the upcoming Badminton Asia Team Championships, dealing a major blow to Indian team's medal chances at the tournament beginning next week.

Sindhu, a former world champion, made a successful return to competition after a foot injury that kept her out from October last year.

"Sindhu has withdrawn from the Asia Team Championships due to slight niggle," a source aware of the development told PTI.

The 30-year-old had also withdrawn from the 2025 Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships after sustaining a hamstring injury during a training camp in Guwahati. Since her recent comeback, she reached the semifinals of the Malaysia Open, exited in the first round of the India Open and made the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters.

In her absence, India’s medal prospects appear slim at the continental event, which begins on February 3 in Qingdao. The Indian women had clinched gold at the 2024 edition in Malaysia, the country’s first medal in the women’s team competition.

India have been placed in Group Y with Thailand and Myanmar.

In absence of Sindhu, the singles responsibility will now rest on world junior championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Rakshita Sree Santhosh Ramraj and Malvika Bansod, while Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will spearhead the doubles challenge. Priya Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra and Tanisha Crasto complete the squad.