Pickleball’s rapid rise in India continues to fuel interest among young players, with the sport now building a deeper junior pipeline ahead of major international events. The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) is set to host national selection trials next month to finalize India’s junior squad for the Pickleball World Cup 2026 in Vietnam.
The IPA, recognized as the National Sports Federation for pickleball by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Sports Authority of India, will conduct the three-day trials in Ahmedabad from June 12 to 14.
The selected players will represent India at the third edition of the Pickleball World Cup, sanctioned by the Global Pickleball Federation, scheduled to take place in Vietnam from August 30 to September 9.
Speaking ahead of the trials, IPA President Suryaveer Singh Bhullar highlighted the long-term importance of identifying young talent for the national setup.
“The junior squad for the Indian Pickleball contingent is extremely vital as it determines the players that will represent India on the global stage for many years to come. These are the players who will potentially one day compete at the major global events once pickleball officially enters those events as well,” Bhullar said in a press release.
More than 100 players from across India are expected to compete in the U14 and U18 categories, with participants traveling from states including Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, Haryana and Gujarat.
Among the notable names set to feature in the trials is Arjun Singh, who recently secured three medals at the US Open across singles and doubles events. Rising talent Naomi Amalsadiwala, who has already impressed in the open category, will also be part of the selection process.
Panth Thakkar, who won bronze in doubles at the US Open, along with Purvansh Patel, Anoushka Chabbria, Veer Shah and Dev Shah, are among the other prominent junior players competing for places in the Indian squad.
The selection committee for the trials includes Aalap Sharma, Dhiren Patel, Mohit Kumar, Atul Edward and IPA CEO Aditya Khanna.
