India's two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu will not be travelling to China for Asia Mixed Team Championships as a hamstring issue continues to trouble her. Sindhu said that an MRI scan has revealed that her recovery is taking slightly longer than expected.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share I won't be travelling with the team for BAMTC 2025. While training on the 4th (February) in Guwahati, I felt a twinge in my hamstring. Despite my efforts to push through with heavy taping for our country, an MRI has revealed that my recovery will take slightly longer than I initially expected," Sindhu wrote in a post on 'X'.
"Wishing the team all the very best. I will be cheering from the sidelines," she added.
The 29-year-old's absence is a major setback for India. In the previous edition, Sindhu played and India won the bronze medal.
Players bound for Qingdao for the tournament that is set to take place from February 11 to 16 are currently in Guwahati for training camp. Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, doubles bair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty along with others are part of the squad training at the pre-tournament camp.
India will face South Kore and Macau in their group stage clash. Their opening clash is against Macau on February 12. On the next day, they will face runners-up South Africa.
How Sindhu fared in first tournament since tying the knot
Sindhu got married in December 2024. This was supposed to be her second tournament after tying the knot. She lost 9-21, 21-19 and 17-21 in the quarter-final to Paris Olympics bronze medallist Gregoria Tunjung
"It is sad definitely that I lost in the third set after fighting so hard but I think the game is such. I have to obviously come back stronger but at that point I would say anybody would have got that point or lost that point," Sindhu had told the reporters after the defeat.
"There were long rallies. I have to be more consistent and keep the shuttle in the court. But sometimes it happens. In the second and third set, I was not leaving the drops or half smashes or the cut drops. And I was prepared for it. But first game I wasn't comfortable, there were easy mistakes."
Sindhu has struggled with injuries in last few years. It will be interesting to see if she recovers and participates in the Singapore International Challenge later this month or the All England Open Badminton Championship next month.