India's badminton star Lakshya Sen will not participate in the Thomas Cup semifinals against France due to a swollen right elbow sustained during a previous match. The 24-year-old had recently triumphed over world No. 6 Chou Tien Chen in a grueling match, but his injury has led to his replacement by Ayush Shetty for the opening singles match against world No. 4 Christo Popov. Kidambi Srikanth, ranked world No. 30, will face world No. 10 Alex Lanier in the second singles, while HS Prannoy will take on world No. 17 Toma Junior Popov in the third singles. The doubles matches will follow the singles, with India assured of a medal after reaching the semifinals. The country previously won the Thomas Cup in 2022 and has claimed bronze medals in 1952, 1955, and 1979. Badminton Association of India secretary Sanjay Mishra expressed confidence in the team's capabilities despite Sen's absence.