Uber Cup: Tough ask for young squad

INDIAN WOMEN gained automatic qualification for the Uber Cup 2024 Finals after a sensational week at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Malaysia earlier this year.

A semifinal spot would have assured them their spot but they went the distance to clinch the title, overcoming a series of higherranked opponents.

That title, albeit in a depleted field, was a shot in the arm for the women's badminton contingent in the country, where the big wins have often come in individual tournaments.

It marked PV Sindhu's comeback to action from an injury break, but was made memorable by Anmol Kharb's incredible arrival on the big stage.

But in Chengdu, as Uber Cup gets underway on Saturday, India will unlikely build on that success in Shah Alam.

A medal at the World Team Championships wouldn't have been easy anyway, but it became improbable when Sindhu, Tanisha Crasto-ashwini Ponnappa, Treesa Jolly-gayatri Gopichand opted out.

"Sindhu informed the selectors that due to back-to-back tournaments leading up to the Olympics, she and her team have decided to skip the Uber Cup to prepare for the Olympics. Top doubles pairs also cited similar reasons and, since it is not a fullstrength team, they also pulled out. The selectors then decided to go ahead with young players who have done well recently at the National Championships," BAI had said in a statement while announcing the squad.

And so the mercurial lefty Ashmita Chaliha will lead a young Indian team, that could still stand an outside chance at getting out of Group A in second place.

China will be the overwhelming favourites in the group but against Canada and Singapore, India can't be written off. The crucial tie would be the opener on Saturday against Michelle Li's Canada.

National champion Anmol, who stole headlines at BATC, will get another chance to go toe-to-toe with some more higherranked opponents while Tanvi Sharma is another teenager to keep an eye out on. Shruti Mishra-priya Konjengbam and Simran Singhi-ritika Thaker will shoulder doubles responsibilities.

Uber Cup squad: (Singles) Anmol Kharb, Tanvi Sharma, Ashmita Chaliha and Isharani Baruah; (Doubles) Shruti Mishra, Priya Konjengbam, Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker.