Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has endured a title drought for the last 17 months. With defending champion and top seed Shi Yuqi pulling out third seed Srikanth will be at the forefront along with former world champion Viktor Axelsen who had claimed the title in 2017. The 26-year-old shuttler who won the Indian Open title in 2015 will kick start his campaign against Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki Vincent and he is likely going to come across fellow Indians Sameer Verma or B Sai Praneeth later as both are in the same half of the draw.