Guwahati, Jan. 8: After nearly two years of grooming, the Assam Badminton Association sent a 12-member squad of state probables for the 33rd National Games for the final phase of coaching in Indonesia.

The team, accompanied by former international shuttler Madhurjya Barua, left for Bandung today. The probables will train at the P.B. Mutiara Badminton Academy there from tomorrow till February 7 and fly back a day before the Games begin.

Leading shuttlers of the state Ankur Barua, Suranjan Bhobora, Anirban Chetia, Rajib Goswami, Dibyajyoti Bora, Imtiaz W. Khanikar, Rohan Chaliha, Oli Deka, Bibari Basumatary, Abantika Deka, Rimi Hazarika and Anjali Kalita are part of the squad headed for the island country.

Rohan Chaliha, son of former state shuttler Pradip Chaliha, is being sponsored separately by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd under a special scheme for its employees. The IOC is also sponsoring the entire coaching programme of the association, including the Indonesia tour.

However, Assam’s prime medal prospect Krishna Dekaraja will be missing from action in the National Games. Krishna, who suffered a knee injury in a national ranking tournament at Indore a week ago, underwent a major surgery in New Delhi on Saturday. Krishna had partnered Oli Deka to win the doubles gold in the recent SAF Games in Colombo.

The ABA has lauded the newly-constructed Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Amingaon, where badminton matches will be held from February 14 to 18 during the National Games.

The discipline was earlier supposed to be held at the Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium, but the venue was shifted in view of objections raised by the ABA over the synthetic flooring there.

Given the infrastructure in hand, the ABA said it could host Asian satellite tournaments, the Asian Badminton Championship and World Championships here. The association has already chalked out plans to rope in the services of international coaches to groom quality shuttlers.