Indian Badminton Stars Set to Conquer Taipei Open

Kidambi Srikanth, Anmol Kharb, and Unnati Hooda lead India's squad in the Taipei Open. Despite challenges, the team is poised to make an impact in the absence of top stars HS Prannoy and PV Sindhu. The event promises competitive showdowns in both men's and women's categories.

In an exciting development for Indian badminton, former world number one Kidambi Srikanth will lead the charge at the Taipei Open, starting Tuesday in Chinese Taipei. Though currently ranked 61st globally, Srikanth is determined to overcome a challenging phase, marked by only one quarterfinal in his last six tournaments.

With top players HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen absent, world number 44 Ayush Shetty steps in as India's leading men's singles competitor. Meanwhile, the women's team will compete without two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu. Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, ranked 42nd worldwide, is poised to take the mantle, supported by rising stars Unnati Hooda and Anmol Kharb.

The Taiwanese competition will see a strong Indian squad with notable names such as S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian and Ayush Shetty in men's singles, while Anupama Upadhyaya and Aakarshi Kashyap join Hooda and Kharb in the women's singles. The battles ahead are expected to be fierce as India aims for dominance in the tournament.

(With inputs from agencies.)