India’s men’s and women’s badminton teams begin their Asian Games 2026 campaign against Bangladesh and Kazakhstan, with Japan looming as a tough quarter-final test.
Share Article
https://www.india.com/sports/others/asian-games-2026-pv-sindhu-lakshya-sen-and-satwiksairaj-rankireddy-chirag-shetty-lead-indias-big-badminton-medal-challenge-8527717/
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Photo: IANS)
India will begin its badminton campaign at the Asian Games 2026 with both the men’s and women’s teams looking to make a strong start in the team events.
The Indian women’s team will face Kazakhstan in the opening round on September 20, while the men’s team will take on Bangladesh on September 21The team competitions will be played in a straight knockout format, with the individual events starting from September 25.
Read more:
Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat proudly wave Indian flag at the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony
India’s men won silver in the team event at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty created history by winning gold in men’s doublesHS Prannoy also claimed bronze in men’s singles.
India men eye gold after Hangzhou silver
The Indian men will be hoping to improve on their silver-medal finish this timeThey are expected to get past Bangladesh, but Japan could await them in the quarterfinals.
That potential tie could produce some exciting matchupsLakshya Sen may face world No7 Kodai Naraoka, while Ayush Shetty could take on Yushi TanakaIn the doubles, Satwik and Chirag could meet Japan’s experienced combination of Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
Japan could be a tough test, especially on slower courtsNaraoka’s ability to defend and keep rallies going could make things difficult for Lakshya, who has had an inconsistent run in recent months.
Ayush Shetty adds depth to India’s squad
India have plenty of options in men’s singlesAyush has emerged as an important player after producing a major upset against world No1 Shi Yuqi at the recent World Championships.
Kidambi Srikanth is another experienced option and could be considered for the third singles spotHS Prannoy, who won bronze at the 2023 Asian Games, also remains part of India’s plans.
The men’s draw also features China and Korea in India’s half, meaning either side could become a potential semifinal opponent.
PV Sindhu leads women’s challenge
The Indian women’s team will begin against Kazakhstan and could face Japan in the quarterfinals.
A possible India-Japan tie could see PV Sindhu face three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi, while Unnati Hooda could meet Tomoka Miyazaki.
In doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will be among India’s key playersThe pair won a historic bronze at the recent World Championships and have given India another strong option in the team event.
Sindhu, Treesa-Gayatri carry medal hopes
Sindhu will also look to build on her Japan Open Super 750 title from JulyShe reached the round of 16 at the World Championships and remains one of India’s biggest names in the women’s draw.
If India progresses past Japan, Korea could be a possible semifinal opponentThe Korean team includes world No1 An Se-young and world champions Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee.
With strong singles and doubles options in both sections, India will aim to make a deep run in the team events before the individual competitions begin on September 25.
