The experienced Achanta Sharath Kamal and world No 24 Manika Batra will spearhead the Indian men’s and women’s table tennis teams respectively at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The senior selection committee of the Table Tennis Federation of India, which met on Thursday, picked a six-member squad – three players each in men’s and women’s section – as per the Olympic norms.
While Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar will form the three-member men’s team, Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath will be squad members in the women’s category.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Ayhika Mukherjee have been named the alternate players in for men’s and women’s teams respectively.
Kamath, in the women’s team event, is understood to have edged out Mukherjee after a serious debate for the third player in the squad.
“The Bengaluru paddler edged Ayhika Mukherjee out as the former scored over the latter on several counts, including her world ranking (No.103), 33 places ahead of Ayhika,” read a release from the federation.
Meanwhile, Sharath Kamal, Desai will represent India in the men’s individual singles and Batra, Akula will take on the onus in women’s singles.
The teams were selected as per the already announced criteria by the national federation based on the players’ performance at the highest level and their respective world rankings.
Indian Teams for Paris Olympics
Men: A. Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar
Alternate Player: G Sathiyan
Women: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath
Alternate Player: Ayhika Mukherjee
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