BAI Announces 17-Member Squad for Dutch and German Junior Badminton Tournaments

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming Yonex Dutch Junior International and Yonex German Junior 2025 tournaments, scheduled to begin on February 26. These prestigious junior competitions will take place in Haarlem, Netherlands (Feb 26 – March 2) and Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany (March 5-9).

Among the key players selected are National U-17 champion Gnana Dattu T and junior world number six Raunak Chouhan, along with Adarshini Shri, Bhavya Chhabra, and Param Chaudhary in the doubles categories.

The squad was formed based on BAI Selection Committee guidelines, ensuring a balance of top-ranked junior players and emerging talents. Winners of the All India Junior Ranking Tournament (U-19) in Hyderabad received direct entries, while other spots were filled through selection trials in New Delhi.

The squad includes:

• Boys’ Singles: 4 players
• Girls’ Singles: 4 players
• Boys’ Doubles: 2 pairs
• Girls’ Doubles: 2 pairs
• Mixed Doubles: 2 pairs

These tournaments serve as crucial stepping stones for India’s young badminton players, providing international exposure before transitioning to the senior circuit. Indian shuttlers have shown promise in recent editions, with Surya Charisma Tamiri winning bronze in girls’ singles at the 2024 Yonex German Junior and Ayush Shetty securing a boys’ singles bronze in 2023 before winning a world junior bronze later that year.

BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra expressed confidence in the squad, stating,
“Indian players have been making a mark in these competitions over the last few years before transitioning to the senior circuit. This augurs well for the junior development plan that BAI has been focusing on, especially with 10 players currently in the top ten of the BWF World Junior Rankings. I am confident that this contingent will also put their best foot forward in the two competitions and make us proud.”

Historically, RMV Gurusai Dutt remains the only Indian boy to win the Yonex Dutch Junior International (2008), a year in which he also clinched gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games and a bronze at the World Junior Championships.

Full Indian Squad for Dutch & German Junior Badminton Tournaments

Boys’ Singles: Raunak Chouhan, Gnana Dattu TT, Suryaksh Rawat, Pranauv Ram N
Girls’ Singles: Adarshini Shri, Tanoo Chandra, Rujula Ramu, Tanvi Reddy Andluri
Boys’ Doubles: Bhavya Chhabra/Param Chaudhary, Mithilesh PK/Vishnu Kedar Kode
Girls’ Doubles: Pragati Parida/Vishakha Toppo, Anaya Bisht/Angel Punera
Mixed Doubles: Bhavya Chhabra/Angel Punera, Lairamsanga C/Vishakha Toppo