Four Indian shuttlers set for home debut at World Championships

Four of India's brightest badminton prospects, led by Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda, are set to make their debut at the BWF World Championships when the tournament returns to India for the first time in 17 years from August 17 to 23.

Joining them are women's doubles pair Simran Singhi and Kavipriya Selvam, who have earned their places after consistent performances on the international circuit.

Ayush, 21, faces the toughest opening-round challenge, taking on defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China in the men's singles.

The Karnataka shuttler enters the tournament after an impressive season in which he became the first Indian men's singles player since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to reach the Badminton Asia Championships final. He also won the US Open Super 300 title in 2025 after claiming bronze at the 2023 BWF World Junior Championships.

Seventeen-year-old Hooda, one of India's most promising women's singles players, will open her campaign against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar. She became the youngest Indian to win a BWF World Tour title in 2022 and stunned two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu at the 2025 China Open Super 1000 before winning this year's Polish Open.

Simran and Kavipriya, ranked a career-best world No. 38, will begin their women's doubles campaign against Spain's Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez.

The quartet will join India's established stars, including P V Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, at the home World Championships.