Focus on consistent Satwik-Chirag as hosts field largest-ever contingent

The former world No 1 mens doubles pair the 2022 India Open champions has made a good start to the 2025 season reaching the semifinals at the Malaysia Super 1000 last weekAhead of the host nations largestever event India Open Super 750 people will keep tabs on Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag ShettyDespite disappointment at the Paris Olympics 2024 the SatwikChirag duo has emerged as Team Indias most reliable performer in the spot over the course of the last two yearsSatwikChirag who sealed the semifinals berth at the China Masters 2024 will lock horns with Malaysias Wei Chong Man and Kai Wun Tee in the India Open Super 750 openerHowever the Indian pair will face stiff competition from top names such as Chinas Olympic silver medallists Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang Paris bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia Denmarks Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen and Indonesias Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian ArdiantoThe tournament will see 21 Indian entries with twotime Olympic medallist PV Sindhu featuring in the event after missing the season opener in Kuala Lumpur following her weddingAlso ReadChampions Trophy 2025 Afghanistan announce their 15man squad for the marquee eventThe 29yearold Hyderabadi returned to winning ways lifting the Syed Modi International title although it was against a predominantly Indian fieldPV Sindhu will kick start her India Open Super 750 campaign against Anupama Upadhyaya is drawn to face Japans rising star Tomoka Miyazaki the 2022 world junior champion and her conqueror at last years Swiss Open in a potentially intriguing clashAlso ahead of the India Open Super 750 Lakshya Sen who won the Syed Modi title and finished third at the Kings Cup will look to make a solid comeback after suffering an early exit in MalaysiaBut the 2022 India Open champion faces a tough opening test against Chinese lefthander Hong Yang Weng HS Prannoy returning after a fivemonth break following a prequarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics stumbled in the second round in MalaysiaHowever the 32yearold veteran showed signs of his old self and will look to build when he faces Chinese Taipeis Li Yang Su in the first roundA victory could set him up for a showdown with second seed Jonatan Christie of IndonesiaWith marquee players like Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and An Se Young and world No 1 Shi Yuqi leading the competition highoctane action could unfold at KD Jadhav Indoor Hall Indira Gandhi StadiumThe tournament will feature 18 of the worlds top20 mens singles players and 14 of the top20 womens singles shuttlersAmong the Indians some promising youngsters will be eager to make a markPriyanshu Rajawat faces a tough challenge in his opening round against sixthseeded Japanese Kodai Naraoka while Malvika Bansod meets third seed Chinese Yue Han and Aakarshi Kashyap faces eighthseeded Thai Pornpawee ChochuwongIn the womens doubles Indias hopes rest on fifthseeded Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand who will face Japans Arisa Igarashi and Ayako Sakuramoto in the first roundMeanwhile Guwahati Masters winners Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa seeded seventh here will take on the British duo of Chloe Coney and Estelle Van LeeuwenWith PTI Inputs