Asian Games 2023: India’s chance to overcome odds and make a point in table tennis

In the last edition in Jakarta, Indonesia, India won two bronze medals — one each in the men’s team event and mixed doubles. It will be eyeing an encore this time.

Tall task: Indian paddlers Manika Batra and G. Sathiyan, among others, need to allay concerns over poor form to do well in Hangzhou. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Indian table tennis faces challenges in 2023, especially heading into the Asian Games. Key players Sharath Kamal (105) and G. Sathiyan (102) have slipped in the singles rankings, both now outside the top 100. The mixed doubles pair of Sathiyan and Manika Batra hasn’t delivered strong results.

The WTT Contender doubles title won by Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee in June this year brought joy, but their performance since hasn’t exactly been noteworthy.

The women’s team’s prospects seem modest, with Manika (World No. 36) hoping to replicate, or even better, her surprise bronze medal win at the Asian Cup in November 2022 in the singles event. In the last edition in Jakarta, Indonesia, India won two bronze medals — one each in the men’s team event and mixed doubles (Sharath and Manika).

India’s top-ranked paddler, Harmeet Desai (61), who will miss out on playing singles (he will play in the team event) in the 2023 Games, said, “All the five are playing well (myself, Sathiyan, Sharath, Manav Thakkar, and Manush Shah). We are all experienced now. In 2018, Sathiyan played his first Asian Games. I don’t give too much importance to rankings. It is not the only barometer to judge a player. It depends on the form as well.

🎙️ @Aashin23, who is going to cover the #AsianGames for @sportstarweb, joins @SantadeepDey and @nihitsachdeva28 on the #SportstarPodcast to discuss what to expect from India's #Hangzhou2022 campaign.

🎧 LISTEN IN: https://t.co/1KMEw4Ryuvpic.twitter.com/KAOpIczcyG

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) September 19, 2023

“I am sure Sharath and Sathiyan will have a couple of good tournaments and improve their rankings. The current ranking system is such that with a couple of victories, your rankings will climb very fast. The seedings are based partly on the players’ past performances and partly on their singles rankings. Based on that, we (the men’s team) might be seeded in the 5-8 bracket in the Asian Games. Of course, it depends on the draw. Anyway, we are confident of doing well.”

China, boasting a formidable lineup including Fan Zhendong (World No.1), Wang Chuqin (2), Ma Long (3), Liang Jingkun (6), and Lin Gaoyuan (7), is the clear favourite.

Japan, with Harimoto Tomakazu, a top-ranked player absent in 2018, could challenge for silver. India beat Japan for bronze last time, but with Harimoto back, Japan’s prospects improve. Korea, the 2018 silver medallist, aims to maintain its position with Jang Woo-jin (World No. 8), and Lim Jong-hoon (17), in the top 100.

India bagged a medal in the Asian championships when the men’s team retained the bronze it last won in 2021, but given the strong competition, the odds favour its opponents.

SCHEDULE

Asian Games Table Tennis Schedule

September 22

7:30 AM - 11:30 AM IST -- Men’s and Women’s Team, Round 1

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM IST -- Men’s and Women’s Team, Round 2

September 23

7:30 AM - 11:30 AM IST -- Men’s and Women’s Team, Round 3

September 24

7:30 AM - 11:30 AM IST -- Men’s and Women’s Team, Round of 16

1:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST - Men’s and Women’s Team, Quarterfinals

September 25

7:30 AM - 10:30 AM IST -- Mixed Doubles, Round of 64; Women’s Team, Semifinals

1:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST - Men’s Team, Semifinals

September 26

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM IST - Women’s Team, Final

4:30 PM IST - 7:30 PM IST - Men’s Team, Final

September 27

7:30 AM - 10:40 AM IST - Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Round of 64

11:30 AM - 3:50 PM IST - Women’s Singles, Round of 64; Mixed Doubles, Round of 32

September 28

7:30 AM - 11:10 AM IST - Mixed Doubles, Round of 16; Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Round of 32

1:30 PM - Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Round of 32; Mixed Doubles, Quarterfinals

September 29

7:30 AM - 10:10 AM IST - Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Round of 16

1:30 PM - 6:10 PM IST - Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Round of 16; Mixed Doubles, Semifinals

September 30

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM IST - Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, Quarterfinals

2:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST - Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Quarterfinals; Mixed Doubles, Final

October 1

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM IST - Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, Semifinals

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM IST - Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, Final

October 2

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM IST - Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Semifinals

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM IST - Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Final

Venue - Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium

SQUAD

India Table Tennis Squad Asian Games

Men: A. Sharath Kamal, G. Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah.

Reserves: SFR Snehit, Sanil Shetty.

Women: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Ayhika Mukherjee and Diya Chitale.

Reserves: Archana Kamath, Reeth Rishya.

Men’s doubles: A. Sharath Kamal & G. Sathiyan; Manav Thakkar & Manush Shah.

Women’s doubles: Sutirtha Mukherjee & Ayhika Mukherjee; Sreeja Akula & Diya Chitale.

Mixed doubles: Manika Batra & G. Sathiyan; Sreeja Akula & Harmeet Desai.