Indian Table Tennis Squad Announced for Asian Championships
Veteran Sharath Kamal and star player Manika Batra will lead the Indian contingent at the upcoming 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships, scheduled to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 7 to 13.
The Indian Table Tennis Federation (TTFI) has named a strong squad for the tournament, which will serve as a crucial qualification event for the World Table Tennis Championships and the Asian Games.
The men’s team, captained by Sharath Kamal, includes Manav Thakkar, Harmeet Desai, G. Sathiyan, and Manush Shah. The women’s team, led by Manika Batra, comprises Sreeja Akula, Ayhika Mukherjee, Diya Chital, and Sutirtha Mukherjee.
The selection process was based on world ranking, international experience, and performance at the national level. The Indian team has been training under the guidance of foreign expert Massimo Constantini, who has been working to enhance their skills and strategies.
“I am hopeful they will put their best foot forward in the Astana championships,” said Constantini.
The Indian team had a successful outing at the Paris Olympics, with the women’s team reaching the quarterfinals and the men’s team losing to China in the round of 16. It was the first time that India qualified for team events at the Olympics.
The Asian Championships hold significant importance for the Indian team as it provides an opportunity to qualify for major international tournaments. The team will be aiming to perform well and secure a berth in the World Table Tennis Championships and the Asian Games.
