BWF World Junior Championships 2026: Tanvi Patri, Shaina Manimuthu to lead Indian squad

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has announced an 18-member squad for the BWF World Junior Championships 2026 in Cairo, Egypt, led by Tanvi Patri and Shaina Manimuthu. The selection comes after India's historic medals in Guwahati in 2026, but this year the team faces a tougher away challenge and newly introduced scoring formats. The Suhandinata Cup team event will use a 3×55 relay scoring system, while the Eye Level Cups individual events will use a 3×15 system, both approved by the BWF Council for 2026. India are the fifth seed in the team event. They are placed in Group D1 with Peru and Brazil, and must win a playoff against the Group D2 winner, likely Indonesia, to reach the quarterfinals. Tanvi Patri recently won the Asian U17 title, Shaina Manimuthu won continental silver, and Dev Ruparelia claimed the India Junior International Grand Prix. Selection trials took place from September 18 to 21, followed by a World Junior Camp from September 25 to October 2 in Guwahati. The squad includes returning medallists Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera, while Yogansh Singh and Aanya Bisht are set to play two events each. The new short scoring formats could increase upset possibilities. India's preparation and adaptability in Cairo will determine whether last year's home-soil success can be replicated away from home.