India’s preparations for the upcoming Uber Cup Finals have suffered a setback, with top women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand ruled out due to injury, the Badminton Association of India confirmed on Friday.
Ranked No. 30 in the latest BWF standings, the duo has been sidelined since Treesa picked up a shoulder injury during the Swiss Open last month. Although they were initially set to return for the Badminton Asia Championships, a fresh injury derailed those plans.
India’s doubles coach B. Sumeeth Reddy revealed that Treesa twisted her ankle during a training session just days before departure. “It was an accident during training — she stepped on her partner’s foot,” he said, adding that the injury is not serious and recovery is expected within four weeks. The pair is now targeting a comeback at the Singapore Open in late May.
In their absence, India has called up Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam, currently ranked 48th, to fill the gap in the women’s doubles lineup. Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi will form the team’s second doubles combination.
The Indian squad will be spearheaded by double Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu, alongside a group of promising young singles players including Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, and Isharani Baruah. Experienced doubles specialist Tanisha Crasto also adds depth to the team.
India faces a challenging path in Group A, drawn alongside 16-time champions China, hosts Denmark, and Ukraine. The team will aim to improve on its past performances, having secured bronze medals in the 2014 and 2016 editions.
Meanwhile, in the men’s camp, India’s star doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are set to travel early to Denmark to fine-tune their preparations for the Thomas Cup Finals. The duo, currently ranked World No. 4, had withdrawn from recent tournaments due to a shoulder injury sustained by Satwik but are now focused on regaining peak fitness.
They were instrumental in India’s historic Thomas Cup triumph in 2022 and will be key figures once again as the men’s team, placed in a tough group with defending champions China, Canada, and Australia, looks to replicate that success.
Despite the setback in the women’s squad, India will hope its blend of youth and experience can rise to the occasion on the global stage.
