Top Indian shuttler K Srikanth, who qualified for Rio
Olympics last month, has decided to skip the BWF Thomas Cup, which starts on
May 15 in Kunshan, China.
“No, I’m not playing. I need to be at my best for Indonesia Open. So after the hectic schedule, will take a break to train and prepare for the Olympics,” said Srikanth.
With Srikanth sitting out, the onus will be on the other two top players – Ajay Jayaram and H S Prannoy – to carry the Indian flag in the Team championship alongside B Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma.
Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, who became the first Indian men’s doubles pair to qualify for the Olympics after the BWF World ranking were published on Thursday, will lead the doubles challenge.
Besides those two, Akshay Dewalkar, young R Satwik Sai Raj of Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai’s Chirag Shetty would complete the line-up.
India have been clubbed in Group B along with Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Thomas Cup defending champions Japan and top seeds China found themselves in the same group. The two heavyweights were drawn in Group A alongside France and Mexico, ensuring that the starting stage of the finals itself should be an intensely competitive affair.
Second seeds Denmark, in Group D, were drawn with Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and South Africa, while Group C has Korea, Malaysia, England and Germany.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)