Ningbo (China), April 7 India had a disappointing start in the mixed doubles competition at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships, with both Indian pairs losing in the first round here on Tuesday.
Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani lost to Malaysia's eighth seeds, Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie, 13-21, 19-21, in a 34-minute match at the Ningbo Olympic Centre.
The Indian pair struggled to find their rhythm early on, losing the first game comfortably, but showed signs of resistance in the second before the experienced Malaysian pair won in straight games.
In another match, Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh also failed to advance, losing 16-21, 15-21 to Malaysia's Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien in 31 minutes.
The Indian pair fought hard but were unable to maintain pressure against their steady opponents.
India will look for a turnaround later in the day when Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will face Thailand's P. Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard in their opening round match.
The focus will shift to the singles competition on Wednesday, with India's top players set to begin their campaigns.
Lakshya Sen, who finished second at the All England Championships, will lead the men's singles challenge.
The country's top shuttler will face a tough opening match against Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu, against whom the Indian has a 2-3 record.
In women's singles, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will return to action after a disrupted European leg and will open her campaign against Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching.
Besides Sen and Sindhu, India will also have Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, and Ayush Shetty in men's singles, while Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, and Malvika Bansod will compete in the women's draw, with all of them scheduled to begin their campaigns on Wednesday.