Gopichand to lead
C'wealth Games badminton team

Former All England champion Pulella Gopichand, currently recuperating from a leg injury, will lead a 14-member Indian badminton team in the Commonwealth Games, in Manchester, England, later this month.

Badminton Association of India president V K Verma, while announcing the team on Thursday, said India No. 2 Chetan Anand was not considered for selection on account of his recent poor form. He informed that Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Nikhil Kanetkar were selected ahead of him because of their experience and the new mixed event format, where only one singles player is needed, with the rest requiring to play doubles.

Popat, who trains with the Sports Authority of India, will be the vice-captain of the team.

The team:

Men: Pulella Gopichand (capt), Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Nikhil Kanetkar, Sachin Ratti, V Diju, Sanave Thomas and Marcose Bristow.

Women: Aparna Popat, B R Meenakshi, Trupti Murgunde, C Deepti, Jwala Gutta, Shruti Kurien and Neelima Chaudhary.

Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone, who was present at a press conference to announce the team, said Gopichand, who won a bronze at the last Commonwealth Games, had a swollen ankle but the injury is not that serious to keep him out of the Games.

Padukone felt the Indian players will face a stiff challenge from the rest of the field. "India had won the team silver in the men's section but this time it will be difficult to reach that stage due to the changed format," he felt.

S M Arif and Leroy D'Sa are the team coaches while Balbir Dutt Sharma is the manager.

Verma also announced former international Ami Ghia's inclusion in the BAI selection committee. Pradeep Gandhe, Vimal Kumar, S M Arif and Dinesh Khanna are the other members in the panel.