Dipika Pallikal, the reigning champion for world women’s and mixed doubles, will lead the Indian squash team squad at the Commonwealth Games in 2022
This year, the Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Birmingham later this month.
Altogether, India will send nine squash players to the Commonwealth Games this year. 14-year-old Anahat Singh will also be a part of the Indian squash team in Birmingham led by Dipika Pallikal. Anahat Singh recently won the Asian U-15 title this year, and will be looking forward to more success.
Commonwealth Games (CWG) Birmingham 2022 Squad India Squash Team Squad Members List, Contingent
Dipika Pallikal, who has not featured in competitive singles since 2019, will play only in the doubles category at Birmingham 2022. The 30-year-old will partner up with Joshna Chinappa in women’s doubles and Saurav Ghosal in mixed doubles. The veteran will be leading the Indian squash team as they all strive to win medals in their respective categories.
India’s Hopes In The Singles Category
In the meantime, for the singles category, Joshna Chinappa in women’s and Saurav Ghosal in men’s, are India’s best bets at the CWG 2022. In the men’s category, world No. 15 Saurav Ghosal, is India’s top-ranked men’s player. Whereas in the women’s ranking, world No. 17 Joshna Chinappa is India’s best player. Chinappa is also the only Indian featured in the top 100 rankings.
Saurav, Joshna bullish on Indias chances Dipika Pallikal to feature only in doubles #Market by #TheHindu https://t.co/OLeuVodG1s
— Market’s Cafe (@MarketsCafe) July 12, 2022
Both players are currently placed at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. The two have been placed there in the hope of getting the best training ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
India’s standings in squash
The Commonwealth Games have featured squash since 1998. However, India managed to win its first medal only at the Glasgow CWGs 2014 when Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal won gold in women’s doubles. They are the same two players from the Indian squash team who will play for India again in that category, this time.
However, at the last edition of the Commonwealth Games, in 2018, the duo lost in the final, settling for silver. Dipika also went on to win silver in the mixed doubles with Saurav Ghosal. But things look positive this time out.
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 will start on July 28 and conclude on August 8. The squash events are scheduled to start on July 29 at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre.
The Nine-Member Indian Squash Team
Commonwealth Games 2022: Full Indian squash team
Men’s singles
Saurav Ghosal, Abhay Singh, Ramit Tandon
Women’s singles
Joshna Chinappa, Sunayna Kuruvilla, Anahat Singh
Men’s doubles
Ramit Tandon-Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Velavan Senthilkumar–Abhay Singh
Women’s doubles
Joshna Chinappa-Dipika Pallikal
Mixed doubles
Saurav Ghosal-Dipika Pallikal; Ramit Tandon-Joshna Chinappa.
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