Table tennis star Manika Batra dropped from India Asian Games squad, relegated to reserves list

India's most recognisable table tennis star, Manika Batra, was on Thursday dropped from the national squad for this year's Asian Games as she did not meet the selection criteria set by the TTFI.

Manika's exclusion is down to her absence from domestic events because of which she does not feature in the Table Tennis Federation of India's (TTFI) rankings.

The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. She is part of the reserves alongside Swastika Ghosh.

Manika, who has won multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games and a historic mixed doubles bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, is currently India's second highest-ranked female player at 51, behind Sreeja Akula who is 45th in the latest ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) rankings.

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TTFI selects players based on international and national rankings.

"The selection process ensured that India's highest-ranked and most consistent performers earned the opportunity to represent the country at Asia's biggest multi-sport event," said TTFI.

The Asian Games table tennis events will be held between September 20 and 28.

As per the selection policy drafted in 2023, 50 percent weightage is given to national rankings, 40 percent to world rankings and 10 percent is left to the discretion of the selection committee.

In Manika's absence, Sreeja leads a balanced squad that combines experience and emerging talent.

Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee, and Syndrela Das form a competitive unit capable of challenging the continent's strongest teams.

The men's team will be spearheaded by experienced campaigners G. Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai, alongside national stalwarts Manav Vikas Thakkar and Manush Shah.

Youngster Payas Jain has also earned his place in the five-member squad after a series of impressive performances on the domestic circuit and international stage.

As reserves, Ankur Bhattacharjee and Ronit Bhanja remain on standby.

"The selection highlights India's growing strength across both genders. By adhering to objective criteria based on world and national rankings, the federation has rewarded consistency and performance over an extended period.

"The inclusion of reserve players for both men and women also ensures that the squad remains prepared for any unforeseen circumstances before the Game," TTFI added.

The Asian Games table tennis competition is expected to feature the continent's elite, including powerhouses China, Japan, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei.