Veteran table tennis players Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra have been chosen to lead India’s men’s and women’s teams respectively at the upcoming Paris Games, marking India’s inaugural participation in team events at the Olympics.

The selection was made by the senior selection committee of the Table Tennis Federation of India, which adhered to Olympic guidelines by naming a six-member squad (three per gender) and identifying players for the singles competitions.

Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar comprise the men’s team, while Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath form the women’s squad. G. Sathiyan and Ayhika Mukherjee have been designated as alternate players.

The decision to include Archana Kamath in the women’s squad sparked discussion due to her world ranking of 103, which was lower than Ayhika Mukherjee’s 133. However, Kamath’s consistent performance and ranking criteria led to her selection.

Sharath Kamal, at 41 years old, will make his fifth and final Olympic appearance, having debuted in 2004.

His selection, along with others, was influenced by recent world rankings and performance metrics, with national champion Harmeet Desai securing his place based on superior international and national records.

Massimo Costantini, a foreign expert and special invitee, provided crucial input during the selection process. He will lead the Indian team, arriving in India shortly before assuming his role.

Both Sathiyan and Ayhika Mukherjee will accompany the team to Paris as alternate players, available in the event of injuries, though they will not stay at the official Games Village.

The finalized teams are:

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.”

Source: NDTVsports