Sindhu, Saina, Srikanth to lead India at Sudriman Cup

New Delhi (PTI): Olympic medallists P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal along with Kidambi Srikanth will lead a strong Indian contingent at the 2019 Sudirman Cup mixed team championship, to be played in Nanning, China from May 19 to 26.

Four-time World Championships medallist Sindhu won a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics while Saina won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

Srikanth is currently ranked eighth in the world among the men's singles shuttlers. India have been seeded eighth in this edition of the tournament. Last year at Gold Coast, Australia, India had reached the quarterfinals.

India have been placed in tough Group D along side hosts China and Malaysia and will need to finish in top two in the league stage to reach the knock-out stage.

India had defeated Malaysia in the mixed team format to win the Commonwealth Games gold in Gold Coast last year and the absence of former world number one Lee Chong Wei is a good news for the contingent.

The 13-member Indian contingent also comprises in-form Sameer Verma besides witnessing the return of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, who was out of action due to an injury, and will feature in the men's doubles event along with Chirag Shetty.

India squad: Men: Kidambi Srikanth, Sameer Verma, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Manu Atri, B Sumeeth Reddy, Pranaav Jerry Chopra. Women: P V Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Ashwini Ponnappa, N Sikki Reddy, Poorvisha S Ram, J Meghana.