Saina Nehwal, P V Sindhu to play doubles together in Uber Cup

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS): In a surprise move, India's two leading singles players Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu will pair up in the second doubles of their final Uber Cup badminton group clash against Thailand here Tuesday.

The unimpressive performance of the usual doubles pair of Pradnya Gadre and N. Siki Reddy prompted the team management to experiment with Saina-Sindhu combine. Pradnya and Siki managed to move past minnows Canada in three games Sunday and lost to Hong Kong in straight games Monday.

Since India have already qualified for the quarter-finals with wins against Canada and Hong Kong, team management decided to field Saina and Sindhu in the doubles against Thailand. They will face Kunchala Voravichitchaikul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

Saina will also play the opening first singles against reigning World Champion Ratchanok Intanon while World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu will take on Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in the second singles.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa and P.C. Thulasi will play the second doubles and third singles, respectively. Both have a 100 percent record in the tournament so far.