Thomas & Uber Cup: India men in tricky group, women in China's group

Reigning champions Indian men's team has been clubbed with heavyweights Indonesia while the women's side was placed alongside mighty China in the Thomas and Uber Cup after the draw for the tournament was conducted in Chengdu, China, on Friday.

The Indian men's team, which will be defending its maiden title, has been placed in a tricky group.

Besides last year's runner-up and record 14-time winners Indonesia, India have Thailand and England to nullify in Group C.

India became only the sixth country in the world to lift the Thomas Cup in 2022 after stunning Indonesia 3-0 in the final at Bangkok.

In the Uber Cup, the Indian women's badminton team has been drawn in Group A alongside hosts and the most successful nation in the tournament's history -- 15-time winner China.

The other teams in Group A are Canada and Singapore.

Indian women have reached the semi-finals of the Uber Cup in 1957, 2014 and 2016.

The Indian men's team qualified automatically by virtue of being the defending champions while the women made the cut after winning a historic gold medal at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Malaysia earlier this year.

The tournament will be held from April 27 to May 5 in Chengdu, China.